Jake Garrett is determined to come back stronger next season as he aims to earn more opportunities in John Eustace’s first-team squad.

The 21-year-old midfielder made 28 appearances for Rovers last season, including six starts in the Championship.

Garrett enjoyed a prolific start to the campaign, scoring in the Carabao Cup ties against Walsall, Harrogate and Cardiff. He also got his first league goal in the defeat at West Brom several months later – a positive from an otherwise frustrating trip to the Hawthorns.

“I have worked so hard this season,” he told RoversTV. “Obviously, I feel like I have still got a lot to learn and develop parts of my game, but this season was a small step in the right direction and building on things.

“I knew at the start of the season that I wanted to play more games and have an impact on the team.

“In the first half of the season, scoring goals in the cup and getting my first Championship goal was a really big moment. I worked hard in training to get around the box and find the goals so I was really pleased with that.

“I feel like the season has been really good for me. It has been a little bit disappointing in the second half not to get as much (playing time), but we have been in a tough battle. I am ready to go for next season.”

Garrett, who was named Rovers’ Young Player of the Season at the club’s annual ceremony at Ewood Park last month, was pleased to see his hard work in training prove fruitful with goals and assists.

“They meant a lot,” he continued. “I know what I can do off the ball but I think on the ball was a really big part that I wanted to improve.

“I want to help the team by getting assists and goals to help us get points and when the goals started coming, it gave me a confidence boost seeing what I was working on in training was coming off.

“When you are at it in training, you really want it to come off in the games so you can show people what you have been working on in the sessions. When the goals came, they gave me a big confidence boost.”

The midfielder is now relishing a chance to reset over the summer before the hard work starts again in preparation for the new campaign.

It will be Eustace’s first pre-season with the squad after taking charge in February, and Garrett is eager to impress as he looks to nail down a place in the side.

“It will do me good to get my mind off football for a couple of weeks and make sure I am fully fit for pre-season,” he reflected.

“Everyone will want to make sure they are in the starting line-up so I just need to work as hard as I can when I’m off and come back stronger.”