ROVERS defender Paul Downing will come up against former employers Walsall tonight, the team he credits with launching his career.

But the 26-year-old’s focus is on helping Rovers to promotion to the Championship rather than meeting familiar faces.

Downing played 56 times in his final season at the Banks’ Stadium when Walsall fell one point short of automatic promotion from League One before being beaten in the play-off semi-finals.

Downing reflects on his spell with the Saddlers with great fondness having also reached the losing Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final in 2015

“I played at Wembley, another big thing, and I definitely felt like we overachieved,” said Downing of his time with Walsall where he made 183 appearances during a four year spell after leaving West Brom, .

“We went close in the play-offs, but game time was the main thing for me as a young defender, you don’t normally get many opportunities so to come out of it with 150 games has definitely done me the world of good.

“I was fortunate to get the opportunity under a manager who trusted me to play every week. It’s certainly held me in good stead. I feel a much better player because of that spell.

“You learn from previous experiences. I definitely feel more experienced now and hopefully at a club like this (Rovers) I can help get the job done.”

Downing hopes to use his experiences of a promotion near miss to ensure Rovers finish in the top two thus term.

Much of that Walsall side he played with has been disbanded with Downing one of a number of that vintage who had left the Hawthorns for the Banks’ Stadium alongside the likes of Sam Mantom and Romaine Sawyers.

“We’d grown up together,” Downing added. “We had a very strong team spirit and managed to get a settled team.

“We knew each other’s jobs. We had a really good year and probably should have got promoted that year and everyone from that team has moved on which shows that we had some good players.”

Walsall have struggled so far this season and are 18th in the table, but Downing is wary of their threat.

Asked if Walsall are a team who punch above their weight, he added: “I think probably from the outside, yeah. In house they will be very determined, knowing the manager how I do they will see this as a scalp.

“We have to be prepared and not underestimate them.”