Stephen Warnock has revealed how Sam Allardyce's introduction of a psychologist helped his career at Blackburn Rovers.

The full-back left Ewood Park in 2009 after two years at the club. He played under Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and then Allardyce, who he enjoyed working with most.

Hughes brought him to Rovers before leaving for Manchester City. Allardyce then came in after Ince's short reign and was hugely popular at Ewood Park.

Warnock spoke glowingly about his time under 'Big Sam', who knew how to motivate his team and make them hard to play against.

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Allardyce has a reputation for being 'old school' due to his man-management style and direct tactics. But the Rovers boss was one of the first to embrace data, underlying statistics and other methods to get the most out of his players.

One of those was the use of a club psychologist, who instantly removed any reservations with a rousing first meeting with the squad.

For Warnock, it would prove particularly beneficial and he continued to work with the psychologist beyond his time in Lancashire.

"I loved all of them (the managers) for different reasons," Warnock told Under the Cosh.

"I think Mark Hughes when he took me into the club but then I looked at Big Sam in a completely different way.

"Mark Hughes wasn't the greatest manager but he'd tell you to your face if you weren't playing or if you weren't doing something right.

"When Sam came in, he was next level with the small science things. I loved seeing that side of the game and evolving. I enjoyed that side.

"It was the first time with him that I'd worked with a sports psychologist. He was amazing but nobody bought into it straight away.

"We thought it would be ridiculous but the guy was stood at the front with an A4 sheet and a flip chart with a few things written. He did a few things and at the end, he asked if he wanted his Rolex back. He'd managed to take his watch and we couldn't believe it.

"He'd taken his belt as well. He then went from all the lads not interested to thinking he was brilliant. Sam brought the culture in and changed everything.

"That's how he earned the trust and come Monday morning, the lads were queuing up to see him. That was Sam being way ahead of the curve.

"I played my best stuff under Sam and with the psychologist and how to approach games. I went to Villa and I stopped and I played ok for six months and then struggled. I went back to him in the third year and I played well again."