Corry Evans is back at Brockhall but under no pressure to return to training from Tony Mowbray.

The Rovers midfielder underwent extensive surgery last month to correct a fractured skull, cheekbone and nose, following an injury in the draw with Preston on January 11.

Mowbray has refused to ever put a timescale on a possible return date for the 29-year-old, but it appears increasingly unlikely that Evans will feature again this season.

The manager admits it’s an emotional time for the Northern Ireland international who is having to come to terms with his injury.

And Mowbray will give Evans all the time he requires as part of his comeback.

“He’s been in a few times, but my discussions with Corry are that he’s in charge,” he said.

“This is an emotional situation really, he’s basically had his scalp opened up and a plate inserted and a restructuring of his cheekbone and his nose.

“It’s not down to me or the physios to say ‘we need you back in a few weeks’. This is an emotional thing for Corry.

“He likes to be around the players so he comes in, but he’s not back with his boots back on.

“He has to get the confidence to do that over a period of time and there’s no time limit set for Corry.

“If we don’t see Corry again this season, that’s fine. If he wants to get his boots back on next week and side-foot a few passes, he can do that.

“Let’s wait and see where his levels are, he needs time at this moment.”

Charlie Mulgrew remains out of the picture, despite training with the first-team squad, and played 90 minutes for the Under-23s in their draw with Southampton last week.

He isn’t expected to travel with the squad to Brentford, and wasn’t due to play for Billy Barr’s side in the Premier League Cup game with Burnley on Thursday before it was postponed.

“He wasn’t going to play,” Mowbray said.

“He needed a game psychologically and mentally for himself. He hadn’t played for eight weeks and needed to play football and that was fine by me.”