FORMER Rovers youngster Nick Blackman will be looking to add to his tally of four goals this season when he returns to Ewood Park tomorrow.

Blackman joined Rovers from Macclesfield Town at the age of 19 in January 2009, but made just one substitute appearance in the league before joining Sheffield United three and a half years later.

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He was a regular in the reserves though, as well as having four spells out on loan, and he is a player that Gary Bowyer knows very well from his time at Ewood Park.

“Nick found himself out of the first team and in the reserve squad when I was the manager, so I know all about him,” said Bowyer.

“I think he benefited, like all young lads, from going out and and playing, at Sheffield United, and scoring goals. The development league, or the under 21s as it is called, is a million miles away the real football and sometimes they need the real football to kick them on.”

Now 24, Blackman scored 14 times in 33 games for the Blades before being snapped up by Reading in January 2013 after spending just five months at Bramall Lane.

He has mostly been used off the bench by the Royals, but he scored three minutes after coming on in the 3-0 win over Blackpool last Saturday, which was Reading’s first win in seven games.

He is likely to find himself among the subs again tomorrow. But Bowyer is well aware of what a predator the Salford-born forward is in front of goal.

“Nick can score goals, it’s as simple as that,” said Bowyer.

“You give Nick an opportunity to shoot and he will take it.”