Albion hero Bob Taylor has urged the Baggies to land another purist manager to avoid the club taking “three steps back” with Tony Mowbray’s departure.

Taylor reckons the new Hawthorns boss must continue Mowbray’s attacking style but admitted the Championship-winning manager will be a tough act to follow.

And the goalscoring great backed former team mate Derek McInnes as a strong candidate.

Taylor said: “We are going to lose a good manager. He’s got a good footballing team and we’ve gone two steps forward, but at the moment it looks like we might go three steps back.

“He will be a great loss for us and now the job is on to find somebody to succeed Tony if he does go. The football is great to watch and I don’t think anybody wants anything different. We need whoever comes in now to keep that style of football but also to make us mentally tough to win games.”

Taylor admitted it was tough to find the ideal candidate to fill Mowbray’s shoes. But the 42-year-old believes the personality of St Johnstone boss McInnes would give him a chance of succeeding.

“Until I see what names have been bandied about it is anybody’s guess who will take over,” said Taylor.

“Derek has done really well since he has gone to Scotland as a manager.”