Express & Star

Tony Mowbray: West Brom will always have a 'fond place in my heart'

Tony Mowbray has admitted it was a difficult decision to leave Albion nine years ago and confirmed he will always have a fond place in his heart for the club and its supporters.

Published
Last updated
Tony Mowbray.

The former Baggies boss will bring a team back to his old stomping ground tomorrow for the first time since leaving for Celtic in the summer of 2009.

Mowbray, who is now Blackburn Rovers manager, felt drawn to Celtic after their fans had supported him in 1995 when he lost his wife Bernadette while playing for the Scottish club.

He described his decision to leave Albion as an emotional one, and wished them well for the season ahead after this weekend's game.

"The fans were so good to me on the back of relegation," he told BBC Sport. "We were saluted all around the pitch on the day we did get relegated at home to Liverpool. And it was never an easy decision to leave.

"It was an emotional decision for me. I'm an emotional guy. I live my life for my family and my football.

"I'd had a loss in my life and it happened up in that part of the world and the Celtic supporters at the time had been amazingly supportive of me.

"When they came calling I thought it was just the right thing to do. It was an emotional not a professional decision.

"You make your decisions and sometimes you have the benefit of hindsight. But you can't go through your life with regrets."

Mowbray is remembered fondly around these parts for guiding the Baggies to a Championship title and the semi-final of the FA Cup.

However, he was unable to keep the Baggies up in the Premier League and was relegated with the side in his final season at The Hawthorns.

The following season, Albion bounced back under Roberto Di Matteo and subsequently spent eight years in the top tier.

"The team was so much stronger and cuter about how to stay in the Premier League the following year," Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire. "And it was pretty much the same group.

“In fact, a couple of them [Chris Brunt and James Morrison] are still there.

"I've been back to watch and scout games but this is the first time I'll be coming back with a team.

"I'll always have a fond place in my heart for West Bromwich Albion as they were very good to me and hopefully I was good for them

"I liked the supporters and I liked the West Midlands people. And, after the weekend, I wish them well on their journey back to the Premier League."