Tony Mowbray admits there is a tinge of frustration about Rovers ‘up and down’ season which saw them fall away in February and March.

Rovers moved in to play-off contention after four consecutive wins in January but then took just four points from the next 33 available.

That left little riding on the final weeks of the season with Rovers safe from being drawn in to any possible relegation battle.

Mowbray accepts that most sides in the division will be reflecting on missed opportunities, the challenge now is to build a squad capable of making a sustained challenge in the top half next season.

“Frustration is the main feeling that I’ve got,” the boss said reflecting on the season.

“When you win four games on the bounce in January, and are a couple of points off the top six, why wouldn’t we think we could keep that going? We were accruing about 1.5 points a game and if we kept that up we’d have had around 70 points and that would have put us around top six.

“Yet we didn’t. It is all ifs, buts and maybes.

“Every club will be saying the same, ‘if’ they have done this, and ‘if’ they had done that.

“Probably, after 46 games, we’re going to finish where we deserve to with the quality of the squad.

“For us we have to get better, we have to improve.

“You look at the likes of Norwich and Sheffield United, Norwich finished 14th, Sheffield United ninth. Recruitment is essential.

“We have to find the players that will fit in to the jigsaw puzzle and that’s what we aim to do.

“Our recruitment department has been up and running for a year now, the foreign recruitment for a few months, and we’re out in the market looking.

“If we can find a gems then we’ll see how we get on.”

Rovers enjoyed a good opening to the season, before their first dip in form towards the end of 2018.

They started 2019 in fine fashion, before a run of nine defeats in 11 matches, before ending with 13 points from their final six games.

For a first season back at this level after promotion last term, Mowbray is happy with the way his side have competed this term, but is looking for improvement next season.

He added: “It’s been up and down. We’ve had some amazing days at Ewood, beating Leeds and going so close against Aston Villa.

“Performances against Sheffield Wednesday, Hull, Derby, and the decent results over the last few weeks.

“They are good days.

“Winning in the Championship is tough and we’ve shown we can compete in this league.

“There have been poor results, and performances, but it all averages out. We will put this season to bed, improve over the summer and try and give it a better shot next year.”