Albion have rewarded a promising first six months for manager Dean Wilkins by offering him a long-term contract.

The deal comes with a pledge from chairman Dick Knight of a "healthy playing budget" for next season.

Wilkins' new contract replaces his current one, which expires at the end of June. The club are refusing to make the full details public until he agrees terms.

But they describe it as a "long-term offer which reflects his achievements since taking over earlier this season and gives him the opportunity to develop the team to mount a realistic challenge to get back to the Championship".

Wilkins was promoted to first team coach last summer after eight years as youth coach.

The 44-year-old former Albion midfielder became manager last September, initially as caretaker and then for the rest of the season, after Mark McGhee was sacked.

He has steered the Seagulls into mid-table in League One with many of the players he helped develop through the youth system.

Knight said: "The Board are prepared to make this commitment to Dean because we think he has performed well in the circumstances this season.

"The squad is in transition and we believe Dean should be taken away from any short-term pressure and given time to ease into the job of continuing to develop the squad.

"We will give him a healthy playing budget for next season to get the right balance of experience and, with Dean's natural desire to encourage good football, I expect Albion fans to be enjoying fascinating times ahead."