In what has turned into an unusually busy deadline day for the Blues, Rovers have announced the temporary departure of full-back, Joe Grayson, who has joined 2019-20 League One playoff finalists, Oxford United on a loan deal until the end of the campaign.
The 21-year old defender has joined the League One promotion hopefuls in a bid to try and replicate their achievements of last season in the hope of going one step further and gaining promotion.
By moving to Oxford United, Grayson has linked up with two former Rovers coaches in Karl Robinson and Craig Short who are part of the set-up at the Kassam Stadium.
After turning professional in July 2017, Grayson has found first-team opportunities very limited, as opposed to fellow members and former members of the Rovers youth setup. Although he has been named on the bench throughout his Rovers career five times in total, his only taste of game time in the Blue and White halves have come in the Carabao Cup. Those two appearances came in 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively. The first saw him help Rovers overcome Lincoln City at Ewood Park by a 4-1 scoreline, as he played the whole 90 minutes, whilst the second saw him again emerge on the winning side as Rovers had to come from behind to beat Oldham Athletic at home, by a 3-2 score, in a game which Grayson also played all 90 minutes.
Despite being touted as a future prospect by Rovers boss, Tony Mowbray, Grayson has recently been blighted by injuries which have stalled his development and opportunity for game time, both with the Blues’ youth setups and out on loan. This temporary switch to League One, is Grayson’s second career loan switch, after spending some time during 2019 on loan at League Two’s Grimsby Town. This loan move with Oxford United, will not only give him the opportunity to work his way back to peak fitness and ability, but will also allow him to test himself at a higher level than he previously did for Grimsby.
Hopefully, Joe can get some much-required game time under his belt and return back to Ewood Park as a better, more determined player who could potentially help out and provide capable back-up on the left-hand side of defence.
