THE appointment of Graeme Souness and the confidence of a Premiership return prevented a clutch of transfer requests at Ewood Park this summer.

That's the verdict of Jason McAteer who believes that in these days of player power anyone not happy with their current club can invariably land a move.

But with Souness now at the helm and Rovers setting their sights on a promotion challenge McAteer insists that everyone was happy to stay and make amends for last season.

He said: "It's only six or seven years since we won the Premiership. We are in a false position and this (Division One) isn't the place to play football.

"I think as well that since Graeme Souness came in it shows how much respect there is for him and the belief there is here when of all the players he wants to keep wanted to stay.

"There are a lot of big players here who could play in the Premiership but they decided to stay. I don't think that any player who Graeme Souness wants to keep has asked for a move."