Whitehall signs new Blackburn contract after injury

Whitehall played nine games for the U21s on his return from injury last season

Blackburn Rovers midfielder Isaac Whitehall has signed a new one-year contract at Ewood Park.

Whitehall, 22, who has been with the club since he was 12, also has the option of a further season.

Having missed over two-and-a-half years with a foot injury, he is targeting a first-team return after appearing for the Under-21s last term.

“It’s a fresh start,” he said. “Hopefully I can get a good full pre-season, building my game time and fitness, and hopefully I can have a full season.

“I felt like I did well in the games I played towards the back end of last season. I played four 90 minutes and didn’t really feel out of place. I thought I did really well.

“So it’s just a case of keeping fit, trying not to pick up too many niggles, and keep building on everything that I’ve been doing.

“Those games last season got me back to the feeling of when I was younger, just playing football and enjoying it. I tried not to care too much about anything else, literally just being back playing is what I wanted.

“My first thought and main aim for this season is to get into the first team. But I still need game time, so it might be a case of playing games here until January, but I certainly wouldn’t be against going out on loan if the opportunity arose.

“It would mean the absolute world to me to make my first-team debut here. It would show that all the hard work and the tough times have come to something good. That is my aim.”