Since arriving at Blackburn Rovers nearly 15 months ago, it feels like Sondre Tronstad has been an ever-present.

It is quite easy to forget the difficulties he experienced during his opening months in English football. Since starting against Saturday's opponents, Queens Park Rangers, last October, he has never looked back.

Tronstad began Rovers' opening-day win against West Brom but wasn't seen in the starting XI for two months after that. It was a difficult adaptation period on and off the pitch.

Almost 12 months later and it feels like a fever dream. Sam Szmodics was the only player that was ever going to be win Player of the Year last term but if you ruled him out, few had a better case than Tronstad.

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He has been Rovers' Mr Reliable. He's rarely injured and infrequently the headline maker. But what he brings to Rovers' midfield is the must-have glue which stitches the team together. 

"It's been a good year. It was a very tough start as everyone knows when I first came," Tronstad says as he reflects on his first 12 months.

"Things changed quickly and for the better. I have learned a lot. The group we have now is a great group, with some great players. 

"It was important to showcase myself. When you have a difficult start, you want to prove everyone wrong and get in the team as soon as possible and stay there. That was my goal.

"For me, that time was about listening, improving and then taking my chance. I have played a lot of games now.

"I've been lucky with injuries in my career. It's about how you look after yourself and what you do to prevent it. Sometimes you're unlucky but it's also about what you do away from the pitch.

"I love it here. I always wanted to play in England, my tough time at Huddersfield was another big reason to come back and prove people wrong. 

"It was tough in the beginning (to settle). It was a big change from Holland for my girlfriend as well. It's better now, my daughter has started nursery. 

"Like all kids, they don't want to go at the beginning but now she's much happier. She's learning English and I think it was weird for her at first, she's Norwegian, but it's much better now."

Last season, Tronstad started most of his games alongside Adam Wharton...sorry, England's Adam Wharton, to use his full title. 

He started just one game next to Lewis Travis, that matchday one victory over West Brom. It was his return to the fold that subsequently contributed to the captain's loan exit.

This term, they've started every Championship game together. Whilst they have similar qualities, the blend and balance has been harmonious.

"I think we complement each other well," Tronstad said.

"He's a great player, we are similar in a few ways but I think it works well. We know where each other is.

"We've got to know each other more now. We only played a few games together last year which wasn't much. Now we're used to each other and we know each other outside the pitch.

"We've had a full pre-season together and started all the league games. We're starting to build that connection and I think we help the qualities of each other."

QPR away was momentous for Tronstad personally but the reverse fixture signalled the end of Jon Dahl Tomasson's reign. Ewood Park was metaphorically on fire; seven months later, it feels a very different place.

"Things feel so different, it's a big difference," Tronstad conceded.

"Everyone knows how things were, the fans especially. Last year was a tough year, we all know that but it's gone.

"It's a huge difference, of course. We were in a difficult moment but we found a way out of it, it wasn't what we wanted or how we wanted the season to be. We ended it well and we're building from that now.

"It feels like five years ago. In football, you have difficult times and it's about how you bounce back and that's been great. 

"It feels good right now, it has been a good start to the season, staying unbeaten. We have been very solid at the back, two clean sheets in a row. It's only two games so we have to stay humble and keep working hard.

"If you want to be successful, you have to be good at home. You need that as a base and so everyone knows when they come to Ewood it's difficult. Last year that was difficult but we've changed that.

"We have to build on that and ensure we stay in the top half of the table. We have to be ambitious and set high goals. We should be speaking about play-offs, even if it's so early on.

"We're humble but we know we have to set goals, we're a great team and it's a balance of pushing each other."