Paul Caddis becomes the sixth player to enter the door at Ewood Park as Rovers grab an experienced head to help on Rovers’ road to a Championship return. The former Birmingham man – who was previously on trial in January, however a move failed to materialise – joins on a free transfer following a successful trial in which he bagged a brace away at Bootham Crescent against York City.
Aside from the goals, Caddis clearly did enough defensively throughout preseason to convince Mowbray to sign him permanently. The Irvine-born penalty specialist signs on a two-year deal following his release from fellow League One side Bury & is reunited with some familiar faces, mainly former Dundee United teammate Craig Conway, former Celtic teammate Charlie Mulgrew & boss Tony Mowbray.
The 29 year old came in and told the club website straight away that the only target Rovers’ should be aiming for this upcoming season should be the league title, as Caddis attributed it down to the strength of the squad, facilities and the staff that he had come accustomed to during his two separate trial periods at the club. The former Swindon man sat down with the Rovers media department and set out his ambition for the season, as he challenged his colleagues to take the league by storm; “I think the aim this year hasn’t just to be winning promotion, I think it has got to be winning the league. I think we are good enough to win the league, but it is all very easy saying that, the players have got to go out and prove it. But I believe we’ve got the squad to do that. I’ve got every confidence in the management and the players as a collective that we’ll bounce straight back.”
Despite being more known for his goal that saved Birmingham from relegation to the third tier in 2014, the Scot has previously had experience in League One, having played in the division for Swindon Town from 2010 to 2013, and more recently, on a 6 month deal at Bury last season. Despite this however, Paul stated that the season would not be as simple as many outsiders anticipated and that the players would be in for a long gruelling season despite them being tipped as preseason favourites.
With Caddis becoming Rovers’ sixth signing of the summer, fans will be hoping that he will be able to provide goals and assists much like he did in the 8-0 thumping of York City, as well as keeping things tight at the back as Rovers aim to make a swift return to the Championship.
