Joe Rankin-Costello admits it's taken a little longer than he expected to reach a half-century of starts, and he wondered if number 50 would ever have arrived in 2022-23!

It's been a rollercoaster campaign for the rampaging right back, who wasn't even in most squads, let alone the starting teams during the first half of the campaign.

His big opportunity after almost four months in the wilderness without a league outing came at Norwich City back in December and he's not looked back since.

He's not just been a right-back, either. The roaming Rankin-Costello's been charging here, there and everywhere on matchdays and even popped up with his first league goal in the recent draw at Huddersfield Town.

The 23-year-old's impressed so much, he'll surely be one of the contenders to win the club's Player of the Season award, which showcases just how crucial he's been to Rovers' play-off charge this term.

“It’s a nice feeling and a milestone I’d have liked to have reached a lot quicker, but I hope there’s more and more to come now," he said to RoversTV ahead of featuring for start 50 in tonight's local derby against Burnley at Ewood Park.

"I was at the bottom and there were little stepping stones I had to take to get to where I am now"