SKIPPER Grant Hanley says the spirit in the Blackburn Rovers camp is the best he has ever experienced.

And for that the academy graduate believes Rovers boss Gary Bowyer deserves to take a huge amount of credit.

Bowyer has assembled a mainly young side that sit just four points off top spot going into tomorrow’s trip to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The gap to the summit would have been half that had Rovers not surrendered a two-goal lead in drawing 2-2 at 10-man Millwall on Tuesday night.

But Hanley has no doubt the resilience and togetherness forged by Bowyer, who has missed out on the Championship manager of the month award, will ensure there will be no hangovers at the Amex Stadium.

“Since Gary’s came in he’s worked really hard to get a good group of lads together,” said the Scotland international, who turns 23 later this month.

“And I think we’re just starting to see the rewards of that now.

“Gary has been brilliantly for everybody.

“Everybody here is working in the same direction and pulling together.

“The team spirit is great and everybody enjoys coming in everyday and working.”

Hanley worked under Bowyer when he was in charge of the club’s youth and reserve sides and he believes he has made the transition to senior management seamlessly.

“It’s hard to say whether he’s changed,” said the centre back, who made his Rovers debut, as an 18-year-old, in May 2010.

“He’s stayed himself, through the youth team and reserves to now. Obviously he’s had to change to deal with different type of players – older players – but he’s still Gary.”

Bowyer made Hanley his captain after Scott Dann’s departure in January and he brought him straight back into a winning team last month after he recovered from an injury he sustained playing for Scotland.

But with Shane Duffy and Alex Baptiste now at the club, along with Matt Kilgallon, Hanley knows he has a fight on his hands to keep his place in the side.

He said: “I wouldn’t have it (competition) any other way, that’s the way it should be as it brings the best out of everybody.

“If you’re not fighting for your shirt, you’re not on top of your game.

“We’ve got that all over the pitch now, which is probably why we’re doing so well.”

The draw at Millwall extended Rovers’ unbeaten run to six matches.

But it felt like a defeat after the Lions staged the most unlikely of comebacks.

“Frustration is the right word to use,” said Hanley, who is the Scotland squad for their big clashes with Republic of Ireland and England this month.

“We should have closed the game out but unfortunately we weren’t able to do so.

“But the good thing about the Championship is there’s always a game just around the corner to try and make amends.

“We’ve put Millwall to bed and now we’re looking forward to Brighton on Saturday, where the target will be to get another good away three points.”

Just six points separates table-topping Bournemouth, whose boss Eddie Howe has been named the manager of the month, and Charlton Athletic in 10th.

And Hanley said: “The league is so tight this year it’s probably going to be the toughest it’s been since we’ve been involved in it.

“But we’ve got confidence at the minute and we’ll be going to Brighton on Saturday to get three points.”