Albion are well-placed in the race for promotion from the Championship and have an FA Cup semi-final against Portsmouth on the horizon.

But Mowbray believes the advances made by his team this season would cushion the blow should the worst-case scenario occur.

"It is all about perspective. If a journalist has a different agenda then he might say we have spent £11million and are not guaranteed to get out of this league," said Mowbray. "I do not know whether we have done well or not. At the end of the season, we will know.

"It is a bit like Arsenal at the moment, if they lose a few games over the next few weeks they will have had a shocking season and won nothing. Yet they are weeks away from winning the Premier League and the Champions League.

"In my eyes, with the group of players there has been development and progression. I think we are moving in the right direction but there is still plenty of work to be done.

"So if the worst does happen to us this year, then it won't be a bust situation."