It's been quite a campaign so far for Joe Rankin-Costello, who's come back from the brink to playing the best football of his career.

The 23-year-old openly admits that he felt his days at Ewood Park may have been numbered just over a month ago, especially with the January transfer window on the horizon.

He's endured some tough times this term, only featuring once in the Sky Bet Championship prior to earning a surprise recall for the trip to Norwich City in mid-December, which perhaps wouldn't have come his way were it not for an injury to Callum Brittain.

Rankin-Costello took his opportunity at Carrow Road and hasn't looked back, with the defender being an ever-present in Jon Dahl Tomasson's league squads since that game in Norfolk.

Being determined to show his worth in Rovers colours has also brought out added confidence in his game and he hopes the dark times of not playing are well in the past.

“It’s been hard because I’d been in for one and then out for five, it’s tough when it’s like that," he reflected honestly to RoversTV when looking back on his season from the start.

“I always knew that I’d perform if I was given a run of games"