BLACKBURN Rovers striker Jonathan Stead has received a glittering boost ahead of the new season.

The 21-year-old revelation collected a Third Division play-off winners' medal at the weekend and feels that it now represents "happy closure" on his days with his hometown club Huddersfield Town.

Stead underlined his immense potential by firing six goals in 13 Premiership games as Rovers secured their top-flight status during a dramatic finale to last season.

On top of that, the unassuming young forward also received his first ever call-up to the England Under 21s and by the end of the campaign even Tord Grip, Sven Goran Eriksson's erstwhile assistant, was talking about him in glowing terms as a potential England star of the future.

Now Graeme Souness's young prodigy has capped an incredible few months by becoming one of seven Terriers players outside the 16 on duty in the play-off final against Mansfield at the Millennium Stadium to receive a prized memento of Huddersfield's triumph.

The medal is a proud possession of the Holme Valley-based star, who scored 18 times in 31 games for the Terriers last term before his big £1.25m switch to Ewood Park.

Stead, who went to Cardiff to watch his former club and ended up joining in the on-pitch celebrations, said: "As my hometown club and the one where my career started, Huddersfield will always be close to my heart.

"I'll always be grateful for the guidance and advice I received.

"I was thrilled when they won the play-off final, and I'll always want them to do well.

"But now I'm a Blackburn player, and playing in the Premiership is a challenge which requires 100 per cent attention, concentration and focus."

Considering the impact he made in his first few months at Ewood, it would be tempting for Stead to think he's now arrived as a force in the Premiership.

But the diligent young forward realises he may find life in the top flight considerably tougher in his second season at this level so he's not about to start resting on his laurels now, especially as Paul Dickov's arrival from Leicester has intensified the competition for striking places at Ewood.

"From my point of view, last season couldn't have ended better since I made a good start at Blackburn and Huddersfield won promotion at the first attempt," he added.

"But it was only a start for me, and I know I have to keep working and learning if I am to move on and get nearer to my goals.

"Getting the medal represents a happy closure of my time with Town, and now I'm eager to start the build-up to what is going to be a massive season for me at Blackburn."

Stead will begin pre-season training with the rest of his Rovers team-mates this Wednesday, a week before the squad are due to depart for a 10-day tour of Germany.

CLOSURE: Jonathan Stead is happy to look to the future after picking up play-off winners' medal