ROVERS’ first-team coach David Lowe has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at the club.

Lowe was named as first-team coach under the club’s new backroom staff re-shuffle which saw Mark Venus brought in as assistant to head coach Tony Mowbray.

He was promoted from his role as Head of Coaching at the Academy to assist Mowbray for the final few months of the 2016/17 season, with David Dunn brought in as first-team coach.

Lowe will continue in his role with the senior side next season, with Dunn going back to work with the Under-23s. 

And after signing his new deal, he said: “I’m delighted.

“I’m looking forward to working with the first team and obviously with the manager and Mark Venus.

“I really enjoyed the experience. The players, the manager and David Dunn were all very good to work with.

“I hadn’t worked with senior pros for quite a while. It is challenging, because you are under pressure with every game to win a football match, but it was really good.”

Lowe has previously spent six years working with the club’s Academy after being appointed Head of Youth Development in 2011.

He has since held the position of Head of Academy coaching, but following the departure of Owen Coyle and his backroom staff, was promoted to assist Mowbray in the final 15 games of last season.

And ahead of the new League One season, and Rovers returning to pre-season this week, Lowe is looking forward to the challenge as the club look to make an immediate challenge for promotion back to the Championship.

He added: “Hopefully we can hit the ground running and get the club back up.

“That will be our ultimate aim, to win as many football matches and get the club back in the Championship.

“Don’t get me wrong, it is going to be a tough ask. It is a tough division. There are a lot of decent teams in the division. The fixtures come at you fast and furious, so you have got to be prepared and be on your game for every match and every team you face.

“It’ll be a tough task, but hopefully with a few more signings throughout the summer we can get the club back towards where it belongs and where we all want to be.”