Ex-Blackburn team-mates reunite and set up return:

The 29-year-old left Ewood Park on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, moving to Bournemouth. After an impressive debut season under Gary O’Neill, Rothwell has fallen down the pecking order under Andoni Iraola.

The Saints have now moved to sign him on loan for the remainder of the season, bringing him back to the Championship. Rothwell will make his first return to Ewood Park since leaving on April 6, along with Armstrong.

In total, the midfielder made 161 appearances for the club since joining from Oxford United in 2018, when he became the club’s first signing after promotion from League One.

Reflecting on his move to Southampton, he explained how speaking to former Rovers team-mates such as Armstrong and Taylor Harwood-Bellis sold him the move.

“They said it’s a privilege to come in to work every day,” he said. ”

It’s not often that you wake up and you’re excited to go to work and they say that’s how it’s been now. The results help that, the lads are flying at the minute.

“I can’t wait to finally get going and put my boots on and hopefully we can get the club back to where it belongs.

“It’s been a frustrating few months and I’ve not played or had the minutes that I would have liked. And now I’m thankful to Southampton for allowing me to come here.

“Hopefully, I can come in and show my experience in this league and help them get over the line and hopefully by the end of the season, it’s a positive outcome.

“I think [my experience] could be massive, especially going down the stretch. When it’s just relentless, games Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Wednesday every week. And as footballers that’s what you want. You want to be playing games all the time.

“So as I say, hopefully, I can come in and use my experience of playing in this league and help out and get us over the line, that’s the end goal.

“That’s the only [reason] why the manager wants to bring me here is to hopefully help the team and get them back up to where they should be.”