AT Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became known as the 'baby faced assassin'.

Now Morten Gamst Pedersen, the new darling of Norwegian football, is being hailed as Blackburn Rovers' 'smiling assassin' as he continues to woo Premiership audiences with an intoxicating mix of precocious talent and Scandinavian charm.

It's virtually a year to the day since Pedersen first arrived in England from Tromso as Rovers' new £1.5 million signing.

Back then, the 24-year-old blond bomber looked like a little boy lost as he struggled to establish himself in the cut and thrust world of English football's top flight.

But now the unassuming lef winger with the boyband looks is widely regarded as one of the most deadly midfielders in the country because of his unerring ability to finish in the final third.

An impressive haul of eight goals in 23 appearances during the second half of last season saw Pedersen establish himself as a cult hero at Ewood Park and membership of that fan club has since swelled even further following his explosive strike against Fulham a fortnight ago.

That's all a far cry from the early days in Pedersen's Blackburn career when he was very much a peripheral figure under Mark Hughes as Rovers battled against relegation.

Even then, though, the mild-mannered Norwegian never allowed himself to get down by that enforced period of exile, which is why Hughes is so delighted to see him flourishing on the big stage now - usually putting opposition defences to the sword with a smile!

"The greatest thing about Morten is his personality," said Hughes.

"He's always got a smile on his face and he's a very pleasant young man.

"That possibly went against him at first because he was always coming in with a smile on his face and probably, deep down, he was wondering what the hell was going on because he wasn't playing.

"Maybe it made it easier not to pick him at that point because he didn't make a song and dance about it. He didn't knock on my door.

"But it was obvious he had a talent. He just needed an opportunity and once he got it, he took it and he's been in the team ever since."

Pedersen's big break came in an FA Cup tie with Cardiff at the turn of the year.

After spending three months out of the first team, he suddenly got a recall for the trip to Ninian Park and he was quick to seize that opportunity with both hands, scoring a cleverly executed goal.

From then on, he never looked back and soon became an integral member of the side, not just because of his ability to weigh in with important goals but also for his quality at set pieces.

"There aren't many people in the league that can match Morten's delivery," said Hughes.

"You think of the likes of Laurent Robert, maybe - well, he's in that mould.

"I know Craig Bellamy has said he's not seen a delivery like Morten's and he's obviously seen Robert at close hand.

"His delivery is outstanding and it's a real weapon for us.

"You can't defend a perfect ball. If it's in the right area and at the right pace then it's a goal, and Morten's capable of that.

"He's different from any of the wingers. I wouldn't put him in a box and say he's an out and out winger. He's got more to his game than that.

"He has the ability to go inside, he can go outside, he can deliver and he's got great ability in the air. That's not often said of tricky left wingers.

"He's a different type of left winger. He's got nothing like the pace of Ryan Giggs, but he has the ability to shift the ball as he did."

Now Hughes hopes his rising star can soar even higher over the coming months as he draws on the experiences of his first 12 months in English football.

"This is the beginning of Morten's first full season," added the Rovers boss.

"He's more tactically aware, he understands the demands of the Premiership now, and he's able to free himself more readily than he possibly did in the times when he first came into the side because it was all new to him.

"But he's had the benefit of six months at Premier League level, and he's had a good pre-season. I actually feel he's stronger, not only physically but mentally as well. He's a big player for us at the moment."