Mowbray aims to protect Blackburn's academy crop

Tony Mowbray says necessity is forcing him to throw some academy players in at the deep end - but has vowed to protect Blackburn's crop of youngsters as much as he can.

With a squad ravaged by injury and unavailability, Mowbray named five teenagers and only three senior players on the bench for the 2-1 Championship defeat at Preston on Saturday.

Harvey Higgins, a 17-year-old striker, came on for the final 16 minutes and Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire other prospects like 18-year-old midfielder Frank Vare will get their chance when they show they are up to the task of playing in the competitive Championship.

He said: "I'm trying to protect those lads. This is a man's world we play in, it's horrible, intense, gritty. The lads you're playing against don't care if you're 16 or 17 - they'll trample over you to get the job done, they are playing for their living.

"I felt Harvey was physically ready to go and help our team, but some of the younger ones, they have got some talent in their boots, I just feel they're not quite physically ready to play against these men.

"I will try and drip them in when the time is right. It's down to them, not just me, they have to show me every day they can withstand the rigours.

"I don't want to make their life too difficult too early. I'm never going to be the guy who plays the young guys just to prove a point. They're on the bench because they have to be."

Before Tuesday's visit of Sheffield United (19:45 BST), Mowbray admitted he was looking at possible free-agent signings, but added: "It's not an easy market, there's loads of names. I was leaving the ground the other day and loads of fans are shouting names at me.

"Everybody's shown me the lists, I have got all the names, but which ones can help us and which are the same as we have already got?

"You don't bring footballers in for the sake of adding numbers. They have to fit the squad. This team needs help in certain areas. We're on the case. If nothing happens that's because I don't think there's anyone out there who can help us."

With a thin squad and facing a sixth game in 18 days, Mowbray admitted he was frustrated he has not yet been able to implement his style on the team.

"We're hardly doing any training for a couple of weeks," he added. "It's a major frustration for me, so early in your tenure you want to try to create your identity, how you want to play.

"The way to do that, having done it over 20 years, is repetition but at this moment we're not doing that. We have to protect the team, get through this period, get to the international break.

"Hopefully we look a lot stronger and readier after the break to go and attack this league with more options."