Jason Lowe is now an elder statesman in a Bolton dressing room battling to overturn a 12-point deduction in their quest to stay in League One.

A Bolton squad decimated by injuries leaves boss Keith Hill turning to untried youngsters, with Lowe in possession of the captain’s armband and playing a big role in offering advice and passing on his experiences in the game.

Lowe’s introduction to the game was far different, a homegrown youngster at Rovers a decade ago, he was able to turn to pick the brains of the the likes of Steven Reid, David Dunn, Ryan Nelsen and Jason Roberts with Rovers an established Premier League club.

While Bolton face Bristol Rovers this week, sitting bottom of League One, Lowe’s Premier League debut came at Chelsea in January 2011 and revealed he still has Frank Lampard’s shirt as a memento.

Now it’s Lowe’s turn to be the experienced man of the dressing room, even though it doesn’t seem too long since he was the young kid on the block.

“It all goes by very quick,” the 28-year-old told the Bolton News.

“It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was the kid sat there and feeling the pressure of playing senior football. But I think back at those players who helped me at Blackburn and use it to pass on bits of advice I can.

“You look around the dressing room and there are a lot of young players there. I’ve been there, made mistakes, and you just have to put them behind you and learn as quickly as possible.

“It’s a fact you will make mistakes, I certainly did, and when you make that step up into league football you really very quickly that it’s unforgiving. The opposition put you under pressure and test you.

“At the end of the day the young lads have to do it themselves. They have to want to do it, anyone can give advice but it’s whether people are willing to learn and take it in.”

Lowe went on to captain Rovers, play for his country at youth level, and was just four short of a double century of appearances when departing after relegation to League One.

While maligned by some supporters, he was appreciated by those within the club, with former Academy chief Eric Kinder believing Lowe should be viewed as a role model for any player coming through the ranks at Brockhall.

Though Lowe points to the experience of those players around him at the time of his Rovers breakthrough as a key part of his development.

He added: “I was really fortunate at Blackburn because there were a lot of senior blokes in there who’d take you to one side and have a word, lads who’d played at a high level for a long period of time.

“I remember looking up to the likes of Steven Reid, David Dunn, Ryan Nelsen, Jason Roberts – experienced guys who had done so much in their career.

“I came in as a full-back and Michel Salgado was around at the time, his reputation was second to none, so there was so much I could draw from. You have to be like a sponge, ask questions, give it what you have got.”