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The head coach is determined to bring the ‘bright days’ back to Ewood Park as Rovers chase promotion to the Premier League.

The first objective is to secure a place in the play-offs, with a difference of four points compared to seventh place with nine games to go, one more than many of their rivals.

It’s not a position Tomasson expected to be in, believing his side is ahead of their journey.

His focus now is on the league after the FA Cup quarter-final defeat, but Tomasson is feeling the positivity at the club, not least from the backing of Bramall Lane.

He said: “We are extremely ambitious. We went out on the field to win, it’s not always going to happen but we have a good chance to put in a good performance.

“This club has been in the shadows for a long time, let’s have bright moments because our fans deserve it.

“We took 6,000 fans to Sheffield, that shows me great moments, a little glimpse into the future.

“This club has a lot of tradition, history, many legends, and we should never compare, but it is good that there is a lot of positivity around the club.

“When the fans are happy and proud, we are happy and that union is very important.”

Rovers sit in fifth place with 61 points having won 19 of their 37 championship games.

Tomasson had hoped for a transitional season having arrived as head coach in Tony Mowbray’s place last summer, where a number of first-team regulars progressed.

However, given the position they find themselves in, Tomasson says he and the players will do everything possible to first seek a play-off place and then try to get the club back to the Premier League.

“I think everyone who likes football likes this period,” he said.

“This is also why I say that you see the development with the team, it is not a surprise to me, not at all.

“It’s a bit surprising where we are in the table, way ahead of schedule, but now the guys who have

He put the club in this situation and we want the play-offs, we will chase it.

“It’s pretty amazing during this stage of the season that we have everything to play for.

“It has been a great season.

“We had three competitions, now there is only one left. We have done an excellent job in the cups and now with the league we have to enjoy it and go for it because we have nothing to lose”.

Tomasson has confirmed that Aynsley Pears will start today’s match at Birmingham City, despite the return to fitness of Thomas Kaminski.

Ben Brereton is a doubt having been substituted in the second half of Chile’s friendly win over Paraguay on Tuesday.