It is hard to believe that it has already been eight years since Jordan Rhodes left Ewood Park.

The tenacious forward quickly became a fan favourite, scoring 85 goals during a three-and-a-half-year spell at Rovers.

A decade ago, Rhodes enjoyed one of his best campaigns in blue and white as the side narrowly missed out on the play-offs under Gary Bowyer.

He found the net 25 times in all competitions that season and believes the togetherness in the camp played a key role in getting results on the pitch.

“I have got great memories from my time at Blackburn Rovers,” he told SkyBet. “We had a great bunch of lads.

“Gary Bowyer installed a collective group, with some good players and great people at the club.

“We finished just outside the play-offs, but we pushed it all the way to the final day where we could have snuck into those final places.

“We had a terrific team with the players we had, so I have got nothing but fond memories of my time at the club. I made friends for life and it was nice to score a few goals too.”

Rhodes added: “I am still in touch with a few of the players from my time there and I am sure that we will still be friends after we have finished playing too.

“There is something quite special that football presents where you build up those relationships with your team-mates so when your playing days are over, you have still got friends for life.”

During his time in East Lancashire, Rhodes forged a formidable partnership with Rudy Gestede in the final third.

It also become a regular occurrence to see the striker head home one of Craig Conway’s pinpoint crosses from the wing.

“I had good players around me during my time at Blackburn,” he continued. “I was getting great service - Conway who used to set up a lot of my goals.

“I had a great partnership with Gestede, as well as players like Luke Varney and Chris Brown around me. Playing as a striker in that team was a privilege.”

Rhodes is currently on loan at Blackpool from Huddersfield and has scored 15 goals since the start of the campaign.

The Seasiders are ninth in the League One table and three points off the top six heading into the final block of fixtures.

Rhodes, who recently returned from a rib injury, is eager to finish the season strongly and climb the table as Blackpool push for an immediate return to the Championship.

“The old mantra is about taking one game at a time, and that is exactly how we are looking at it between now and the end of the season,” he told FLW.

“After (the international break) we have got games coming thick and fast. We have three games in seven days so there are plenty of points on offer for us, we do have to take it one game at a time.

“We have got four weeks left of the season so we need to make sure we are doing everything possible to give ourselves the best chance of getting into the play-offs.”