Rovers are better equipped this time around to deal with the challenges of the Championship, according to defender Darragh Lenihan.

Lenihan was part of the 2016/17 squad which was relegated to League One on the final day at Brentford despite collecting 51 points. That would, however, have been enough to finish as high as 18th this time around.

They had finished 15th with 55 points in 2015/16 and in their first season after relegation from the Premier League their tally of 58 points was enough for 17th place.

Eighth and ninth were Rovers’ other two positions at the end of their five seasons in the Championship as they struggled to crack the second tier.

But despite the expected strength of the division next season, after a positive campaign in League One under boss Tony Mowbray, Lenihan is optimistic for the future and what Rovers could achieve.

That is despite not underestimating a level in which he has played 66 times in since his debut for Rovers against Millwall in April 2015.

“Without a doubt it will be a tough level,” Lenihan said of the challenges next season.

“I’ve played in it (the Championship) before and it’s a tough league but I think we’re better equipped now than we were last season.

“Whether the gaffer signs anyone we will wait and see but with the players we’ve got I think we can have a right good go next season.

“Credit to the manager he’s turned the club around, signed players on long contracts, and you never know, he could bring in more new faces and more competition which is always good for the team.

“We’ll wait and see. We’ll work as hard as we can and give our all to the cause.”

The central defender achieved his first senior international call-up for the Republic of Ireland in March, and followed that with his debut in the win over USA in Dublin earlier this month.

Rovers are currently in contract talks with Lenihan over extending his deal at Ewood Park which runs until next summer.

He featured just 14 times because of injury last season but is a big part of the club’s plans moving forward.

Lenihan was part of the team who were relegated on the final day at Brentford in May 2017, and also played in the win over Doncaster which sealed promotion.

The others were goalkeeper David Raya, defenders Charlie Mulgrew and Derrick Williams, plus Elliott Bennett and striker Danny Graham.

Raya was later named in the League One team of the year, as was Mulgrew, who also claimed a place in the EFL-wide side, while Graham scored 17 times in what was a squad effort to win promotion.

And on bouncing back at the first attempt, Lenihan said: “It was obviously a disappointing season for everyone at the club and we had to put it right which we did.

“We are now just looking forward to the Championship and hopefully giving a good account of ourselves.”