BLACKBURN Rovers today revealed they will reward fans for sticking by them during their Premiership exile after unveiling plans for a new 'loyalty discount' aimed at season ticket holders.

As was widely anticipated, the cost of watching Rovers will go up next season following the side's promotion to the Premiership.

But, after consultations with several leading supporter groups, the club have vowed to ease the burden by offering a special discount to those fans who have purchased a season ticket in each of the last three years.

It's the first time in recent memory that Rovers have offered such a 'loyalty bonus.'

And Ewood chief executive John Williams is hopeful the idea will be met with widespread approval.

"Whenever you see any football or fan-based research, loyalty is a word which is often used," said Williams.

"And fans feel, if they've been loyal, then they should be rewarded.

"There will be people reading this saying 'I've been a fan for five years, 10 years and 15 years and more some.'

"But we've got to start somewhere and I think this is a good time to start, especially because it does cover a period where, frankly, we lost our status in the top flight.

"So I think it's right to recognise loyalty because the fans expect it.

"And the way we've gone about it, covering the two seasons we spent in the Nationwide, is about right, although I'm sure there will be differing views on that."

Those fans qualifying for the new bonus can expect to save around £25 on the average cost of a season ticket for next year. Last season, the price of an adult ticket in the Blackburn End was £299. Next season that figure will rise to £340 but fans who qualify for the loyalty bonus will pay £315 -- a rise of £16 on last year's prices.

Junior tickets have also risen from £99 to £115, although that would become £105 under the new loyalty scheme. "We've thought long and hard about it and we think it's a fair and competitive offer," said Williams.

"Prices have gone up from last season, we can't deny the mathematics of that, but the reality is we can't compare eggs and apples. We reduced them last season and held them the season before.

"That was because, frankly, we were substituting big name clubs with a Nationwide Division One product.

"So really the comparisons should be made with the last time we were in the Premiership.

"That's how we've come to our figures and, if you look at the Blackburn End price for those who've stayed with us, then it's an increase from £299 to £315 which I guess is around about inflation, or perhaps a little more."

Familes and young adults appear to have got the best deal from the new package.

Under eights will once again be admitted for free and the club have also retained their special family ticket which means the second and third juniors go free.

Young adults between 16 and 21 will also qualify again for a special discount ticket at a cost of £220, or £205 under the loyalty scheme. "The whole thrust of the offer and the totality of the package is aimed at keeping the prices down for families," said Williams.

"We've let under eights in free at Ewood for some time while the price for a junior has risen by just over £5.

"But it's those families with more than one child where the price of football really starts to get expensive.

"In the Nationwide we introduced a family ticket which effectively let second and third juniors in free.

"And we've decided to retain that, not without limit, but certainly to make sure that everyone who had that benefit last year can get it again, and some more. "So that really means for the larger families there is a chance that dad can afford to bring them all down.

"It's a bit of a cliche, I know, but they are the fans of the future and you do need to keep bringing fans through."

Overall, the most expensive season tickets in Ewood next season will be for the Jack Walker stand upper centre at a cost of £445.

But, at the opposite end of the scale, around a thousand seats are being made available in the Riverside at a knock down rate of £270, or £250 to those who qualify for the loyalty discount, in what the club has termed an elasticity policy on pricing.

"We'll be interested to see how those go and exactly who wants to buy them, whether they be existing season ticket holders wanting to transfer or new season ticket holders," said Williams.

"It costs a lot of money to watch football these days and nobody is delighted by the price of a season ticket.

"But I do hope we've demonstrated we've got our finger on the pulse through our discussions with various groups.

"So I hope and think this package will be in line with the lower end of their price expectation.

"We had about 13,200 season ticket holders last season and I'll be disappointed if we don't go above 15,000 this time.

"I think given the relief, the anticipation, the way the team has been playing and the fact that we are going to strengthen the team, we should be looking more towards 16,000.

"And, if I have to eat my words, then so be it.

"But I'll be disappointed if we don't reach that number."