Love for Celtic drew Mowbray back
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 11:33Tony Mowbray revealed his emotional time at Celtic as a player encouraged him to return as the club's new manager.
Mowbray was unveiled as the new manager this morning after agreeing a 12-month rolling contract with the Glasgow giants yesterday.
Mowbray, who lost his first wife Bernadette to cancer when he was a Hoops defender in the 1990s, will be joined in the east end of Glasgow by Mark Venus, his assistant at West Brom, and Peter Grant, his first-team coach at Albion and a former Celtic team-mate.
Mowbray was flanked by chairman John Reid and chief executive Peter Lawwell at Celtic Park and the former Hawthorns manager said: 'I am delighted, elated, and hugely honoured to be sitting here today. I can't wait to get started.
'I played here for four years in the 1990s when the club wasn't at its greatest heights but I was overwhelmed by the great support the Celtic family gave me.
'I was engulfed by thousands and thousands of messages of goodwill when I left and it leaves you with a warmth so when this opportunity arose for me I felt drawn.'
Mowbray added: 'I had a decision to make this summer and the opportunity arose and the more I explored it the more I knew it was right for me, emotionally and professionally as well, of course.
'The size of the support, the tradition, the history, all the things I hold true when I talk about footballing philosophies.
'Since the club started Celtic are a club that have generally tried to give their supporters entertainment, score goals, win trophies and play with a style and a panache about them.
'And it just felt right for me. I will try and put my stamp on the team and try and give the supporters something back.'
