Hanley models himself on Hendry

Young Rovers defender Grant Hanley wants to follow in the footsteps of a Rovers legend who was also a centre half – Colin Hendry.

Hanley had a cracking debut at Villa Park on the final day of the season and has been tipped for a similar line of success as fellow young defensive prodigy Phil Jones.

But Hanley has a big role model to look up to.

Grant spoke to the Lancashire Telegraph and said – ‘He’s someone I’ve tried to model my performances on,”

“He was a Braveheart, wasn’t he? He liked his tackles and all the rest of it. He’s someone I looked up to as a centre half.

“I spoke to him once. His boy was at Blackburn for a bit on trial and Colin was in briefly.

“We chatted for a couple of minutes and he gave me some good advice.

‘Most people at the club don’t wind me up about being the new Hendry apart from the kit woman, Anne-Marie. She’s been there for years and Colin was her favourite.

‘Like him, I see myself as a no-nonsense defender. As a player you need to know what your strengths are.

‘My strengths aren’t dribbling out with the ball from the back.

‘I’m good in the air and I win my tackles and there’s no need for me to try things which aren’t part of my natural game.

‘Allardyce likes no-nonsense defenders. That’s a big advantage for me as he was a centre half himself.’

So what do we reckon? Can he live up to that sort of billing?