PAUL Robinson believes Blackburn Rovers are finally on their way to being European challengers once again – and insists Sam Allardyce has to take most of the credit.

The Rovers goalkeeper helped extend their unbeaten Premier League run to five games, with a goalless home draw against Manchester United on Sunday, and is confident the ‘only way is up’.

Since arriving at Ewood Park as Brad Friedel’s successor in 2008, Robinson has been part of a Rovers side almost constantly battling against the threat of relegation – but he believes the last few weeks will prove a sign of things to come.

Allardyce’s 18 months at the helm have seen him slowly transform the club from relegation candidates to closing in on the top 10, thanks in no small part to just three defeats in 28 home games in charge, and with high hopes for the future.

Only a final day defeat two seasons ago robbed Rovers of a fifth European campaign in seven years and, after a difficult couple of years, Robinson believes the club are on the right track to reproduce past exploits.

He said: “I definitely believe the club is only heading in one direction at the moment, and that is upwards.

"You have seen the manager’s track record in the transfer market and the players he has brought in here in a short space of time.

“If you think back to when he first came in, we were adrift at the bottom of the league table.

"Now we are looking to that top half and taking points off the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

“If, given time, I am sure you will see us pushing on again next year.

“It has been some turn around in a fairly short space of time hasn’t it?

"I think that is down to the manager. You have to give him, a lot of credit.

“Maybe some of the fans didn’t take to him straight from the beginning but if you think what he has done to this club - he has put them back on a platform to being where they were a couple of seasons ago. Top half of the table and maybe pushing for a European spot.”

While Ewood Park has become something of a fortress during the Allardyce era though, Robinson accepts there are some areas needing to be improved before they can realistically take the next step.

Just two wins away from home this campaign has halted Rovers’ rise, while their failures in front of goal have placed huge responsibility on their defensive capabilities.

“The manager has been fantastic for us,” he said.

“He has got the team playing the way he wants us to play, we are getting results.

"He is a great manager, a great man-manager and very clever tactically aware - as you have seen.

“We have drawn with Chelsea and Manchester United, all right our away record hasn’t been great, but our home record speaks for itself.

“The whole team is playing well defensively. We are playing well from the front back.

"The major problem we have had is scoring goals and that has been highlighted again.

“But we know that fact and we really put the emphasis on getting a clean sheet against United because we knew that would be really important in getting anything from the game.”

Sunday’s draw with Manchester United mathematically guaranteed Rovers’ Premier League status for another year, but Robinson insists their season is far from over.

Lying just an inferior goal difference away from a top 10 spot, Rovers will be looking to continue their push into the top half with a victory against Everton at Ewood on Saturday.

Robinson said: “We want to push on as much as we can.

"We were guaranteed our Premier League status on Sunday, not that we were ever in danger, but the manager has set us a points target and he wants us to keep pushing on, so the season is not over as far as we are concerned.

“Things aren’t just looking good for next season.

"He has brought in young players, if you look at Junior Hoilett, Martin Olsson, Steven Nzonzi and Phil Jones, and we have a very good mix of young players and experience and it is starting to reap its rewards.”