IT COULD be a big pre-season for Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Brown.

Now that Josh King has moved to Bournemouth and if Rovers lose one or even both of Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes then Brown is almost the only man left.

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He has really struggled for goals since he came into the team last season and that must be hard for him.

But if he can play a few games in pre-season and score a few goals, even if it is against non-league opponents, then his confidence will rocket.

Strikers thrive on confidence.

I remember it from when I was playing and if you hadn’t scored for a while you were a lot more hesitant or you might look for a pass instead of shooting.

But if the goals had been going in, regardless of the opposition, then you felt like you would score every time, I think Brown will really benefit from a full pre-season where he is fit all the way through and hopefully he can come into the new season with some goals under his belt.

He could be a threat in the Championship. He is physical and he has scored goals before at this level.

Once you are scoring goals regularly it is amazing what kind of player you become.

On that note, it could be worth Gary Bowyer looking at players lower down the pyramid to fill any striking boots should players leave.

We have seen with Charlie Austin and Jamie Vardy that strikers who know how to score goals can do it at any level.

There are players to be had out there if you look for them and I do believe that non-league players can step up to the Championship.

The other side of that though is that it’s a gamble to take someone one. But it could be one that Rovers might be willing to take.

Gary has been pretty good at spotting players and I think you would have to say the majority of his signings have been a success so there is no reason why he cannot uncover another couple of gems this summer.

Going back to King, Eddie Howe has taken him to Bournemouth and I think it will be a good move for the Norwegian.

Bournemouth will suit his style of play and it is a chance to play in the Premier League.

Whenever he played for Rovers last season, which wasn’t often, he did well and he played particularly well against Stoke in that fantastic FA Cup tie.

Having said that I cannot see him being a regular first choice player at Bournemouth but you can’t begrudge him wanting to have a crack at the Premier League.

We will have to wait and see over the coming days and weeks what happens with the other in demand Rovers strikers.