Blackburn Rovers confirm return of Middlesbrough FC legend and ex-Sunderland and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray
Blackburn Rovers confirm appointment of Middlesbrough legend Tony Mowbray as head coach
Middlesbrough legend Tony Mowbray has returned to management for his second spell in charge of Blackburn Rovers.
An immensely popular figure in the game, Mowbray is most commonly associated with Middlesbrough having spent the bulk of his playing career on their books.
The former centre-back made over 400 appearances for the club and later managed the North Yorkshire club between 2010 and 2013.
Mowbray now looks set to come up against his former club during the 2025/26 season having been unveiled as the new head coach of Blackburn. He has returned to Ewood Park having led the club between 2017 and 2022, succeeding Michael O’Neill and penning a long-term deal.
Tony Mowbray on Blackburn Rovers return
The 62-year-old told Rovers TV: “It feels quite amazing “I’ve been back a few times in the past season to watch a few games and it feels like home, especially considering I spent a long time here - five-and-a-half years.
“That’s a long, long time in modern-day football, and we had some good times and felt like we’d built a half-decent team but couldn’t quite get over the line to reach our ambition of getting in the Premier League.
“It almost feels like I’m coming back to finish the job, because the aim of every team in the Championship is to try and get to the Premier League.
“I think you need the energy to do the job and my wife is so happy that this opportunity has come because I’ve been driving everybody mad in the house! I’m full of energy, but the highlight of my day has been going out and walking the dog!
“Football burns away in me. I can’t wait to get started and I’m looking forward to making new relationships and reinventing the old ones. I’m looking forward to meeting the players and I’m hoping they’re all full of energy and desperate to do well.
“I’m looking forward to it, I know the responsibility of being the head coach at a club like this and I am here to make people proud.”
Tony Mowbray’s return to management
Mowbray, who has also managed the likes of Celtic and Sunderland, stepped away from the game in 2024 due to health reasons.
It was later confirmed he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, but he returned in 2025 for a stint at West Bromwich Albion after getting the all-clear.