Charlie Mulgrew says he leaves Ewood Park proud of his contribution – with Partick Thistle not ruling out a move for the outgoing Rovers defender.

Mulgrew’s time at Rovers will officially end next month after five years at the club, but the last two have been spent on loan with Wigan Athletic and Fleetwood Town.

A move back to Scotland appears the most likely for the 35-year-old who has made no secret of his desire to continue playing for as long as possible.

An Achilles injury cut short his season, but interest in his services is already high, with Thistle, promoted back to the second tier of Scottish football this year, not ruling out a move for Mulgrew who played 108 times for Rovers.

That included a spell as captain in which they won promotion from League One, and the departing Scot said: “I’m very proud of my time here, it’s probably not until I leave that I will look back at the impact that I made.”

Mulgrew has won 44 caps for his country, as well as five league titles and three domestic cup competitions during his six years with Celtic.

He has also played for Dundee United and Aberdeen during his time north of the border, and Thistle boss Ian McCall will be keeping tabs on Mulgrew this summer.

“He’s on our list. Can we get him? Who knows, stranger things have happened. There is a list of players,” he said.

Mulgrew signed a contract extension in November 2018 but has managed just two appearances for Rovers in the last two seasons.

He was loaned to Wigan on deadline day in 2019 and then Fleetwood the following year, playing 23 times for the Cod Army, but the last of those came in February.

He was club captain at Ewood Park for the majority of his time at the club, staying on after relegation from the Championship in 2017 to help back to an immediate promotion.

And while his contribution was a big one, he says the promotion was down to the dressing room as a whole, believing that season was one of the best he’s enjoyed in a distinguished career.

“Obviously scoring the goal that got us promoted, but that just wasn’t about me, that was a whole season,” he said.

“I go through a whole list of players, it was a great changing room and one that we got together, along with the manager, and managed to bounce back.

“Those moments are up there with the best of my career, words can’t describe the feelings of that night and that atmosphere.

“The support was unbelievable and we just tried to give something back.

“When I was captain of this club I never tried to be anything that I wasn’t, I was just myself and I was hoping that was enough to keep me in that position. But the main thing was always about the club, we’re in a much stronger position and I feel I can walk out of the door with my head held high. I have a lot of respect for the fans and this club.”