Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray believes defender Paul Downing will help to boost his options after agreeing a transfer deadline day switch.

The 25-year-old joined the Lancashire outfit on loan from League One rivals MK Dons in the closing stages of last week’s transfer window.

Downing came through West Brom’s youth system and was on the club’s books at the same time that Mowbray was in charge of the first team, although he never made a senior appearance for the Baggies.

The central defender has spent time on loan with the likes of Hereford, Rotherham, Shrewsbury and Barnet, while he joined Walsall on a permanent deal in 2012, before eventually making the switch to MK Dons in 2016.

Mowbray insists he has drafted in Downing in the hope that his League One experience can help Rovers, who are priced at 5.50 to win the League One title, to enjoy a promotion push this season.

“Paul Downing is a player I know from my days at West Brom when he was around the youth team and just progressing past that,” Mowbray told Blackburn’s official website.

“He’s been to Walsall and had some very successful times at Walsall in the very good team that they had a couple of years ago.

“So he knows what it is like to be at the top end of League One and the pressures of that.

“I would say he’s a footballing centre-half. A good stature at 6’2″ or 6’3”, but he can play the ball out from the back.

“I know his personality and having spoken to him he is looking forward to the challenge.”