Blackburn Rovers appoint Tony Mowbray as new head coach

Blackburn Rovers have appointed Tony Mowbray as their new head coach for a second spell. Mowbray, who is 62, previously managed Rovers for more than five years between 2017 and 2022. He replaces Michael O'Neill who decided not to take the job permanently after serving in a temporary role in the second half of last season. Mowbray has more than two decades of management experience, and most recently managed Sunderland, Birmingham and West Brom after his first spell at Blackburn ended. When he first took over at Ewood Park in February 2017, he could not save Rovers from relegation to League One, but did manage to lead them to promotion back to the Championship in his first full campaign. After returning the club to the second division, Mowbray did not sign a new contract at the end of the 2021–22 season and was replaced by Jon Dahl Tomasson. This time, he arrives at a club that is experiencing a tumultuous 2025-26 season. They had hovered around the relegation zone all year and sacked Valerien Ismael in February before appointing O'Neill as coach. O'Neill managed to keep the team alive in the Championship by finishing 20th and five points above the relegation zone. Blackburn stated that Mowbray would "lead a new chapter for the club" and bring "a wealth of experience, strong football principles and a clear understanding of the club's identity and ambitions".