Tony Mowbray again stressed he had 'no regrets' over the decision to allow Paul Downing to leave on loan.

Downing joined League One side Doncaster on loan in January where he has made nine consecutive appearances.

The 27-year-old, who played 30 times last season, had become a peripheral figure in the Championship and regularly failed to make the matchday squad.

It was for that reason that he was given permission to seek pastures news, with his deal at Rovers expiring this summer.

That decision has been questioned given Rovers struggles defensively, and now an injury crisis which has sidelined three senior centre halves at the same time.

With no recall option available, and three other fledgling centre halves also out on loan, Mowbray said: “How many players do you want for one position? We had four central defenders.

“It happens. Liverpool had Fabinho playing centre half in the Champions League and they are on of the world’s biggest football clubs.

“We have played with Amari’i Bell and Ryan Nyambe as centre halves, there’s no regrets. We’ve been through the Paul Downing situation.

“He was number five centre half and when you’re sitting there with no injuries, the number five centre half, who worked hard to help you get out of the league, wants to play yet isn’t making the 18, it was a pretty easy decision for me to go and let him play and try and get a contract for next season, for himself, his family and his livelihood.

“I don’t have regrets. Of course my responsibility is this football club, but at the time I thought it was the right thing to do and I have no regrets. We move on.”