Given his softly-spoken nature, Damien Johnson wouldn’t be one to be shout from the rooftops about his success with Rovers Under-23s.

But the work he has done should not go unappreciated, and doesn’t by those at the club.

Johnson is always the first to stress that development, not results, are his mantra.

Taking that at face value, you only have to look at the transformation of Lewis Travis from a right wing-back initially in to a central midfielder able to impact games at Championship level as clear sign of that.

John Buckley is following a similar path, blooded at the age of 17 in the Under-23s as a wing-back, before moving in to his more natural role that saw him earn a Championship debut last weekend.

Under the watch of Tony Mowbray, and the work of Johnson below him, 11 different Academy graduates have been handed first team debuts. The way the likes of Ben Brereton, Harry Chapman and Jacob Davenport have been able to slot in to the Under-23s set up shows the excellent environment that Johnson has created.

As for results, Rovers stormed to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title last season, and are already in to the Lancashire Senior Cup final, and Premier League Cup quarter finals this time around.

They have lost just one of their last 11 games in all competitions and next season could be one of just two Championship sides in the top flight of Academy football.

Johnson’s attention to detail, and the intensity in which he works helps set him apart.

Head of Academy Stuart Jones said: “I think he’s done terrific. In terms of him individually, his attention to detail, and what he instils in them, and the culture he has created, is fantastic.

“That’s a credit to him.

“There’s no question day-to-day, and matchday, the detail he goes through. Full credit to him for how well that group have developed.

“They are an exciting group to watch and that’s full credit to him and the work he’s done.”

With the likes of Andrew Fisher, Matty Platt, Joe Grayson, Scott Wharton, Brad Lyons and Lewis Hardcastle out on loan, Johnson has continue to mould a team capable of producing the goods.

He also lost his long-term assistant David Dunn in the summer. Dunn’s role shouldn’t be overlooked, but on social media, even he credited the Northern Irishman’s work in developing this group.

Jones added: “Some of the Under-18s staff have stepped up and supported him with that, Tony Carss, Mike Sheron, Billy Barr, and that’s been great for them.

“They have provided support and back up but what he’s done with the group as a whole, you only have to watch them, they are exciting, the way he’s got them playing.

“That’s something that we look to instil through the Academy system because ultimately they are going to have to step up. So it’s great to have that consistency through the set-up.”