TONY Mowbray says Venky’s have assured him of their ‘financial commitment’ in helping Rovers bounce straight back to the Championship, after the Ewood boss agreed to stay on as head coach.

Mowbray will continue in his role following successful talks in three separate meetings with the club’s owners in India.

He revealed he would seek assurances from the Rao family before committing to Rovers ahead of the club’s first season in the third tier for 37 years.

And Mowbray revealed he was satisfied with the outcome of the talks.

He said: “The owners were supportive of my ideas and plans, and they have assured me of their financial commitment to help achieve our targets. It was all very positive.”

Rovers have 15 players who have already represented the first-team under contract for next season, and being able to keep hold of the core of that squad was one of the main assurances Mowbray sought from the owners.

Decisions over the futures of those players are expected to lie with Mowbray, who is confident of receiving backing in the transfer market as he looks to make additions to his squad, particularly in midfield and up front.

Rovers’ wage bill was the ninth-highest in the Championship last term, but has been eased following the release of six first-team players last week.

And Mowbray, who took 22 points from his 15 games in charge last season, is confident that the right additions can help Rovers make it a short stay in League One.

His meetings with the owners were his first face-to-face contact with the Rao family since taking charge, and he was the first Rovers boss since Gary Bowyer to travel to India.

Of those meetings, Mowbray said: “I’m very happy with the discussions that I have had.

“I’ve met the owners, I’ve met the people that I am working for, and I am very happy to move forward.

“Whilst we were all disappointed with the end of last season I see it as an opportunity to now move the club in the right direction and grasp this opportunity whilst it is there for us.”

The 53-year-old has 12 months left to run on his current contract which he signed in February after replacing Owen Coyle. 

He could yet be offered an extension to that deal by the owners who pledged their ‘full support’ to Mowbray in a statement released 24 hours after relegation was confirmed.

There could also be a shake-up to the Rovers backroom staff in the coming days, with Mowbray previously revealing that he could look to make changes in the summer.

He worked alongside David Lowe and David Dunn, who were promoted from their roles in the club’s Academy after the departure of Coyle and his backroom team, in his 15 games in charge.