MARK Atkins hopes Venky’s provide Tony Mowbray will the necessary funding needed to get Rovers out of League One next season.

Mowbray agreed to stay on as Rovers head coach after positive meetings with the club’s Indian owners in the past week.

The 53-year-old has been assured of ‘financial commitment’ from the Rao family ahead of Rovers’ first season in the third tier for 37 years.

Premier League title winner Atkins believes Mowbray’s intention to stay is a positive step for the club, and hopes the head coach is given a budget capable of launching an immediate challenge for promotion back to the Championship.

“I think it definitely is a positive,” Atkins told the Lancashire Telegraph of Mowbray’s decision to stay.

“He did a decent job at the back end of the season, it wasn’t down to him that the club were relegated.

“It was a tough situation that he came in to, he gave it his all, and it is nice to have that bit of continuity which every football club needs.

“I now hope he gets the backing from the owners that he’s been promised. He seems to have had the reassurances that he wanted from the owners and be able to do the job that he wants which is a positive.

“Hopefully he will get a good budget for League One and they can look to have a much better season.”

Mowbray became the first Rovers boss since Gary Bowyer in 2013 to travel to Pune to meet with the club’s Indian owners.

It was his first face-to-face chat with the Rao family since taking charge, having been appointed by former Director of Football Operations Paul Senior when he replaced Owen Coyle in February.

“The last two managers will have also been promised things, so time will tell,” Atkins added of potential investment. “But to get out of League One won’t be easy and they will need a good budget and a good set of players.

“A lot of players have left, and it will still be a difficult season, but securing his future is a positive step.

“They (Rovers) will be everyone’s cup final next season.

“Sheffield United had that problem, they didn’t have the best home record, and as they found out, getting out of League One is not going to be a walk in the park.”

Mowbray’s decision to carry on as head coach ended any possibility of an uncertain summer.

Rovers have recent experience of that, with Paul Lambert quitting as boss at the end of the 2015/16 season, with Rovers going almost a month without a manager before Coyle was appointed.

And Atkins believes a full summer under Mowbray can be crucial for Rovers ahead of their League One campaign.

He added: “Pre-season is vitally important for any club’s season.

“It’s when you do all of your preparation work, bring in the players that you want, and work on certain formations and get everyone playing the way that you want.

“The later the players arrive, the more difficult that is to do. Having that uncertainty is not ideal.

“But the fans trust him, and they are pleased with his appointment.”