Aynsley Pears: Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper signs new four-year deal
- Published
Aynsley Pears started his career at Middlesbrough in 2016
Goalkeeper Aynsley Pears has signed a new four-year contract with Blackburn Rovers.
The 25-year-old established himself as first choice after Thomas Kaminski sustained a knee injury in February.
Pears retained his place after Kaminski returned to training, playing in the last 20 games of the season.
He had been set for a loan move to Portsmouth in January but the deal collapsed, and Pears seized his chance with Kaminski sidelined.
Pears made 26 appearances for the Championship club this season - including impressive displays in the Carabao Cup win over West Ham and FA Cup triumphs against Norwich and Birmingham - after clocking up just eight in the previous three campaigns.
He told the club website: "I've got some game time and that's all I've wanted since I joined the club. My future here is hopefully playing many more games and getting the club to where it wants to be.
"I didn't get the games during my first couple of years - I was on the bench a lot but still worked hard and felt I was getting a lot better as a goalkeeper.
"You can only prove that with games and I think I have done over the last part of the season. I'm looking forward to what the future could bring.
"You improve with confidence when you're playing regularly at the level and I've always felt that I am good enough. When you don't play for a couple of years, you need to test yourself and you need to confirm in your head that you can do it.
"The proof's in the pudding. I've felt I've performed well, I feel I need to keep getting better and I hope I will."
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