Blackburn Rovers have been proactive in sending their young talents on loan in the English Football League to continue their development.

Rovers' Academy restructure was focused on ensuring those players on the fringes of the first-team get the opportunities needed, even if that's away from Ewood Park. Stuart Jones has been tasked with managing the 17-21 age group to etch clear pathways into men's football.

As a result, Rovers have a fair few players out playing regular first-team games. The international break is a good point to check in on their progress so here's a round-up of their situations.

Dilan Markanday

The Blackburn Rovers winger is enjoying life on loan at Chesterfield in League Two. He's been a regular starter for Paul Cook's side and is scoring goals.

He has netted three in his last three home matches, including the equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw with Walsall at the weekend. He was returning from a minor calf injury which had ruled him out of the previous game.

Markanday has been playing in his favoured right-wing position, cutting in from the right to cause problems. He's regularly finding himself in the box and finding the net. Overall, he's played eight times in League One, scoring three times and assisting once.

His contract with Blackburn Rovers expires in the summer, though the club do have the option to extend it by a further 12 months.

Jake Garrett

It's been a tough start to the season for Bristol Rovers and Jake Garrett's involvement has decreased in the last month or so.

The midfielder has made five League One appearances overall, playing the full 90 minutes against Cambridge United and Barnsley, plus an hour against Wigan Athletic.

But since that defeat to the Latics a month ago, game time has been harder to come by. He was an unused substitute in back-to-back defeats at Peterborough and Wycombe before getting 19 minutes in the win over Charlton Athletic.

However, he was then left out of the squad entirely against Burton Albion five days later.

"That's competition now. That's where it is," Taylor told Bristol Live.

"We have to be on it every single moment of every single day and form and performance will dictate if you're on the bench or involved in a squad or in the starting lineup.

"There's nothing untoward other than just competition for places. Michael Forbes missed out today, Jake Garrett missed out today. But the way to be on the pitch is to play well."

Rovers will no doubt monitor the situation closely. Garrett has a recall clause in January.

Connor O'Riordan

It's been a similar story for Connor O'Riordan at Cambridge United, who have really struggled this term. They are rock-bottom in League One under Garry Monk.

O'Riordan's game time has followed a similar pattern to Garrett's. He began his loan with three 90-minutes and then 68' against Mansfield on September 14.

However, that was his last involvement. He has been on the bench for three of the last four games and one where he wasn't in the squad at all.

Monk said: “It was a difficult one. I knew it was going to be a real physical game with a lot of directness and that’s caused us problems this season.

“We’re trying to find the combination in the back three and I made the decision to go with those three.

“The way the bench is set up it only needed one centre-half and unfortunately for Connor, he missed out today, but there will be plenty of opportunities for him this season.”

Academy loans

Pat Gamble has been in and out of the Fylde team. He's started four games so far, including the last two matches. Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has just been named as their new head coach.

Kristi Montgomery scored the winner for Marine in the National League North at the weekend. His volley secured their second win of the season.

Tom Acheson, also at Marine, was named Man of the Match and played the full 90 minutes. Both players are on loan until January.

Jalil Saadi has played 50 minutes in four matches for Cyrpiot club Ethnikos Achna. He joined them at the end of August.

Felix Goddard made a great start to his loan at Dundalk, starting six games in a row. However, he's been on the bench for the last four.