West Bromwich Albion: Tony Mowbray returns to Hawthorns as boss

Analysis by BBC Radio WM’s Steve Hermon

This is a real emotional return for one of the most well-respected men in English football. The man they call ‘Mogga’.

Just 11 months ago, having already won three of his first six league games in charge, Mowbray had to step away as boss of Birmingham City for health reasons.

Without him, Blues went on to be relegated to League One, by which time Mowbray had stood down completely before then revealing to BBC Tees that he had undergone surgery for bowel cancer.

But he also stated in that same interview his ultimate desire to return to work – and his reappointment is filled with nostalgia for Albion fans who fondly remember the team’s positive style of play under him at The Hawthorns.

It was an eventful time in the club’s modern history too. Two Wembley appearances, both 1-0 defeats, by Derby County in the Championship play-off final in May 2007, then by Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final 11 months later.

But, only a month later, Mowbray’s Albion won promotion back to the Premier League, pipping this weekend’s visitors Stoke for the title.

Relegation followed after one season in the top flight, after which Mowbray left in 2009 for Celtic.

Now he returns via five more managerial stints, with his home-town club Middlesbrough, Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Blues.

They say you should never go back but you cannot deny the feel-good factor this will generate back at one of his favourite ‘homes’ of football.

He is one of football’s nice guys but he is also an experienced manager, who knows all about this division and what it takes to compete near the top.

Only time will tell if this heart-warming story also has a fairytale ending.