Albion correspondent Steve Madeley makes the case as interest in manager Tony Mowbray comes to light from Scottish giants Celtic.

Tony Mowbray could be facing potentially his biggest footballing dilemma in 18 years.

See also: Video: Albion faithful speak on Mowbray

Just two days after being moved by an extraordinary show of support by the travelling Albion fans at Blackburn, strong reports from Scotland say Mowbray’s heartstrings are about to be tugged sharply in a northerly direction.

Firm interest from Celtic would test Mowbray’s loyalties as sternly as they have been since 1991 when the then-27-year-old joined – Celtic.

Almost two decades on, Mowbray would undoubtedly find it tough not to head to the east end of Glasgow for a second time.

Stories north of the border suggest what began as rumours could become a firm approach in the hours and days ahead.

That would present Mowbray with one of the toughest decisions of his career.

On one side is a project at Albion that Mowbray sees as incomplete and a fanbase who have genuinely touched a man not given to outward displays of emotion.

On the other is the chance to challenge for trophies, take on Europe’s best teams and lead a genuinely iconic football club.

Walking away from a job half-done would not be easy for a man of strong principles. Yet turning his back on the chance of a lifetime might be even harder.

There is little doubt Mowbray is more likely to move on now than at any previous point in his eventful reign in the Midlands.

While the manager has largely kept his own counsel, there is little doubt that disagreements with the Hawthorns hierarchy have dented his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead.

Having led the club to the Premier League once, the manager remains keen to do so again.

Yet plans to slash the senior first team squad by a third have both angered Mowbray and created doubt on his ability to regenerate his squad.

A first taste of the Premier League as Albion manager has, without doubt, opened his eyes about the challenges of keeping the club in the top-flight on a limited budget.

The emotional pull to Celtic would be strong too. Mowbray developed a deep affection for the Old Firm club during four years as a player at Parkhead.

He became a hugely popular figure with the club’s fans, not least for the dignified way he dealt with the death of his first wife, Bernadette, a Glaswegian who died from cancer during his time in Glasgow.

Supporters of Celtic would welcome him back with open arms, in spite of the blot on his managerial CV that was confirmed with Albion’s relegation.

The brand of football his Hibs sides showed at Parkhead, combined with the goodwill he engendered as a player, would make him a popular choice.

But leaving the West Midlands would be a wrench.

The impending arrival of his third child with second wife Amber would complicate an already tricky relocation, while this year’s struggles mean he has yet to prove his credentials among the elite of the English Premier League.

Yet in Mowbray’s mind Celtic is a special club – and in their mind he is a special man.

So that means Albion could be about to face the fight of their lives to keep ‘Project Mowbray’ on track.