Rovers have today announced that young prospect John Buckley has penned a new three-and-a-half year deal with the club until June 2024, which includes the trigger to extend the deal by a further 12 months, which could effectively see the midfielder remain at Ewood Park until June 2025.
The silky midfielder, who joined the Rovers youth academy aged just six, rose through the ranks at Ewood Park before putting pen-to-paper on his first professional deal in January 2018. Since signing that initial two-year deal, the youngster has come on leaps and bounds under manager Tony Mowbray, which has been the catalyst towards both parties wanting Buckley’s association with Rovers to continue.
After breaking into the Rovers team due to an injury crisis and a run of bad first-team form during the second-half of the 2018-19 season, the 21-year old made his first-team debut off the bench, as a 68th minute substitute in a 4-2 away defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in March 2019.
Despite coming into the side in such adverse circumstances, Buckley continued to impress in training and in the cameos he continued to earn, before he was finally rewarded for his patience and hard work with the last-gasp winner – also against Sheffield Wednesday – as Rovers came from behind to nick three points from the Owls, in a 2-1 Ewood Park win, in November 2019. Buckley’s taste for goals soon opened as he managed to notch his second professional goal, only six appearances later, as he scored the opener in an eventual 2-0 Rovers win, away at Charlton Athletic. The highly-rated playmaker managed to open his account for this season with his third for the club, as he salvaged Rovers a point in their 1-1 home draw with Stoke City, which came in mid-January and he will be hoping to celebrate his new deal with a couple more, as he helps Rovers charge towards the top-six, before the season’s conclusion.
In total, since entering the first-team fray, Buckley has made a total of 43 first-team appearances in all competitions, whilst managing to contribute three goals and two assists, which is a fair return for a youngster who has only played one full 90 minutes throughout his young career.
Hopefully this new contract will give the 21-year old the security and peace of mind needed for him to kick-on and continue his development, as well as open up a path for him to secure himself a permanent spot within Rovers’ ever-evolving midfield!
