JORDAN Rhodes is buzzing to be back in the team and back in the goals ahead of a ‘massive’ festive schedule he believes could shape Blackburn Rovers’ second half of the season.

The recalled striker fired Rovers to a 2-0 home victory over Charlton Athletic that went some way to lifting the mood among fans after the club announced huge financial losses.

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Ewood Park bosses will not be commenting on the club’s £42.1m pre-tax loss for last season until today.

That meant most of the post-match talk on Saturday concerned a welcome win that means Rovers remain four points off the play-offs going into the Boxing Day derby at revived Bolton Wanderers.

That encounter is swiftly followed by a home clash with high-flying Middlesbrough on Sunday and Rhodes, who took his tally for the term up to nine with a brace against the Addicks, said: “It’s going to be a massive period over Christmas and the turn of the New Year.

“That’s when seasons are defined if you like. There are a couple of games, firstly, in the space of three days and it’s important to get ready for them.

“We need to apply ourselves in them and push on from there.

“But it’s nice to get back to winning ways. It was three games without a victory so it was important.

“It was also nice to get the goals as they are what strikers live for.”

Rhodes was brought back into the side on Saturday after starting from the bench in the 3-1 defeat at Brentford.

“Every player wants to start every game and that’s the mentality of all of the squad,” said the Scotland international.

“It’s tough to be left out but the manager has got such a good squad to select from there is going to be players selected on the bench or not at all.

“It’s a team effort and I must add our thoughts go out to Jason Lowe. We all hope the injury isn’t bad as what it was originally and we hope he makes a quick recovery.”

Lowe, making his first start since August 30, went off in the 49th minute feeling pain in the same foot in which he had suffered a stress fracture.

The midfielder’s injury was the only disappointment on an otherwise positive afternoon for Rovers boss Gary Bowyer.

The victory came 24 hours after the club sent out its annual accounts to shareholders.

The accounts have yet to be filed at Companies House but they show Rovers made a loss before tax of £42.1m and that closing net debt has risen to £79.8m.

Turnover increased from £26.9m to £30.4m and wages decreased from £36.6m to £34.5m.

That means the club’s wages to turnover ratio has dropped to 113.5 per cent having been 136.1 per cent.

Despite the losses Rovers’ owners Venky’s insist Bowyer does not have to sell his star names next month.

Venky’s made it clear they had no intention of cashing in on Rhodes in the summer when they turned down a £10m-plus bid from Hull City.

But that has not stopped speculation linking the prolific forward with QPR and La Liga outfit Real Sociedad.

Rhodes said: “This is a terrific club and I really do enjoy coming in every day and until told otherwise, I’ll keep giving 100 per cent for Blackburn Rovers.

“I know what gets said and what goes off – it’s hard not to – but I’ll just keep focusing on Blackburn Rovers and do my best for them.”