BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer admits he is striving to achieve the standards set by his predecessor Mark Hughes – the man he believes took the club to the ‘next level’.

Bowyer was Rovers’ U18s coach during Hughes’ fondly remembered stint in charge of the club between September 2004 and June 2008.

In that time the Welshman twice led Rovers into Europe and guided them to three separate semi-finals of major cup competitions.

Today Hughes, alongside Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki,  returns to Ewood Park with their Stoke City side for a big FA Cup fifth-round clash (3pm).

And Bowyer said: “He took the club to another level – it’s as pure and simple as that.

“You speak to any player, any member of staff that has worked under him and he’s a fantastic manager.

“He took this club forward, into Europe. He upped the standards of everything around the place. He was terrific and I learned an awful lot from him.

“My dealings were more with the reserve team manager in Glynn Hodges but I learned a lot from Eddie Niedzwiecki, Mark Bowen and the gaffer himself.

“It was a phenomenal environment to be in at that time and the standards that they set are something we strive to here now.

“It’s no surprise that he’s got Stoke riding as high as what they are and playing the way they are. He’s very, very good at what he does.

“Wherever he’s gone he’s really stamped his authority on it, how he wants to play and there’s no shocks with that.

“He’s very focused on how he wants his teams to be and how he recruits as well. He’s very good in the market – Christopher Samba, Ryan Nelsen, Roque Santa Cruz, who he brought here, those players were terrific investments by the football club.”

This afternoon will be the second time Hughes has been back on his old stamping ground in the space of seven months after he brought the Potters to Ewood for a pre-season friendly.

“I can remember when I first took over in a caretaker capacity Mark Bowen was very good to me and whenever we see Eddie he is very good to talk to,” said Bowyer, who watched Stoke go down to a ‘harsh’ 4-1 home defeat to Premier League champions Manchester City on Wednesday.

“Then, when we met up with them in pre-season, they were all very good with the advice they gave and they made it clear that if there was anything they could do, they would be only too willing to help and for us to give them a call.

“They are always there for us, that’s for sure.”

Hughes first arrived at Rovers as a player in October 2000 and within 18 months he had helped the club win promotion back to the Premier League and to Worthington Cup success.

But Bowyer first came across the former Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker as a manager.

Even then, however, he showed the attributes that had made him one of the best players of his generation.

Bowyer said: “I remember when he first came down and training had just finished and someone crossed him a ball and he volleyed it into the top stanchion.

“I can just remember being stood there going ‘wow, he should still be playing’. It was an unbelievable finish.

“I can still see it now. He just turned round and quietly said ‘that’s made me a lot of money doing that in my career’ and smiled. He won’t remember that but I do.”