Todd Cantwell: Blackburn Rovers player reflects on Rangers exit

“I thrived in the environment at Rangers but circumstances changed, different people were in charge and it didn’t feel right any more.

“I’m proud of myself for taking that step (the transfer request) because the younger me would probably have sat for another season, and it might have been a season that I looked back on and say I lost.”

Cantwell says he was mentally and physically below par when he arrived at Ewood Park but has rectified that: “When I first came here I didn’t realise how match-unfit I was and didn’t give enough respect to the fact I wasn’t really ready or as close as I thought I was, in my own head, to play.

“I’m touching 70% at the moment so I know there are gears to go up.”

Having won three on the bounce, Rovers go to Hull City on Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, and Cantwell believes they can be in the promotion shake-up.

“The manager was here before I arrived, but you could tell there was a clarity behind the expectation of what he thinks we can do, and what we should think we can do.

“I’m joining a team that managed to find points in the last couple of games last season to keep them in the league, so it’s results like last week that give some people the belief that we can be serious this season.

“This Championship season, more than most, feels quite open. So the opportunity is there for us, and results like last week should give everyone the confidence and the reality that we can get in there if we push hard enough.”