Bristol Rovers midfielder Jake Garrett, on loan from Blackburn Rovers, has admitted it was a tough decision to leave his parent club this summer.
The 21-year-old made 28 appearances in all competitions last campaign for Blackburn, scoring four goals, as well as winning the club’s ‘Young Player of the Season’ award. However, after a frank discussion with manager John Eustace, he joined The Gas, something he confessed wasn’t an easy decision.
“It was a tough decision,” Garrett told Bristol Live. “At the end of the day, I want the best for my career and Blackburn want the best for my career as well. That’s when we sat down to see what was best for me this year.
“I got Young Player of the Year last year which has brought me a lot of confidence for this season but I feel like this season I want 30 games minimum. I know what goals I’ve set myself and at the end of the day it’s how I progress and that’s when I’m on the pitch and playing 90 minutes.”
He’s now working under Matt Taylor, who recently managed Rotherham United in the Championship. He’s hoping the former Exeter man gives him minutes, which is something he told Blackburn boss John Eustace he needed to kick on over the summer.
“I feel like he [Eustace] was on the same page as me. He knows I want to play football and he understood that so obviously when I said I want to play as many games as possible, it was like am I going to play as many games as I can at Blackburn?
“I think he understood I’m a young lad, I’m eager to play. I think I’m at that level now where I can play as well. I feel like I had some very good performances last year in the Championship so I just want to get a consecutive amount of games and just show week in, week out, this is what I can bring and then you never know, when I do come back I’ve got to fight again and show them what I can do.”
After starting matches in the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy for The Gas, Garrett finally made his league debut as a sub in the 2-0 defeat against high-flying Stockport County. His cameo clearly impressed Taylor, who gave him his first League One start this weekend as his side defeated Cambridge United 2-0.
That result left Taylor’s side ninth in the early League One table, giving the young Rovers midfielder a platform to showcase his talents.
