"Standout player" - Blackburn Rovers transfer verdict issued as John Eustace keeps hold of key figure | OneFootball

Our Rovers fan pundit is surprised that Callum Brittain is still at the club after his impressive performances this season

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Versatile full-back Callum Brittain has been identified by our Blackburn Rovers fan pundit as the one player that he is surprised didn't leave in the winter transfer window, following his impressive performances for the club since the start of the season.

Rovers boss John Eustace has done a stellar job at Ewood Park this season, with his side currently sitting in fifth place in the Championship despite a summer window that saw them lose their most influential player in Sammie Szmodics, and then bring in mostly loan players and free transfers.

He has had to rely upon numerous different players to be standouts in their own right, rather than the team being focused on one man, and ex-Barnsley defender Brittain has stepped up to be a key to their play-off push over the last few months.

The 26-year-old is into his third season in BB2 since a 2022 move from the Tykes, and while he has usually been a consistent starter over the last few years, his performances have ascended to another level this term, and our Rovers fan pundit is surprised that he has remained at the club past January.

Surprised issued at Callum Brittain remaining at Blackburn Rovers beyond January window

Brittain made 27 Championship appearances in his maiden campaign at Blackburn, as he struggled to break into the starting eleven, but then became a regular fixture under Jon Dahl Tomasson and Eustace last season with one goal and five assists in 44 league outings.

Eustace has trusted him to be his main outlet at both right-back and right-wing-back so far this term, and for good reason, given his impressive showings that have seen him register a goal and three assists in 23 Championship games.

The 26-year-old has come into his own even more since the turn of the year, and he picked up Blackburn's Player of the Month award for January for his role in keeping Rovers in the top six.

Our Blackburn fan pundit, Simon Middlehurst, believes Brittain has been Rovers' best player so far this season, and as a result, he is surprised that the full-back is still at the club following the end of the transfer window.

“The one player that I think a lot of Blackburn fans are happy that we kept is Callum Brittain," Simon told FLW.

“This season he has really come into his own, and has definitely been Blackburn’s standout player.

“The fact that he is still with us is great, and the fact that we have managed to keep hold of him does (surprise me), considering there was apparently interest from other clubs.

“That’s one player that we are really happy with.”

Brittain seems fully focused on pushing on with Blackburn this season

Rovers' results have taken a dip over recent weeks, with just two league wins in their last eleven games, but Brittain has remained as a constantly impressive performer despite their lack of points won over the last few months.

He played 90 minutes last week as Eustace's side picked up a vital win against Lancashire rivals Preston North End in their bid to stay in the play-off race, and spoke in the aftermath of the game of his belief in his teammates to achieve their goal at the end of the season, as well as how much he feels the affection from the supporters after his good recent form.

"Obviously, off the back of three losses, we really wanted to go out there for the fans and get the three points," he told Rovers' club media.

"We look to the next game, it is a relentless schedule. It is another difficult away game on Tuesday and we go there with full confidence. If you can put a little run together, it really gets you far in this league.

"We keep working hard on the training pitch, were are a tight-knit group and long may this form continue. We are buzzing to get the three points against them for the fans.

"To be honest, after our bad little run we have been on, the performances have been there. The gaffer just said keep grafting, keep working for each other and those three points will come.

"We just need to find the right balance, but the performances are there. I am really proud of that performance and happy for the fans."

That connection with said fans is probably something that has been lacking with players at Ewood Park over recent years, but Brittain is one of the leading lights in a revival under boss Eustace, and he and Rovers' supporters alike will be pleased that the 26-year-old's time at the club has not ended over the last few weeks.