Emotional appointment as West Brom hero Tony Mowbray makes return 16 years on

The sensational return, a hugely popular move among supporters, also marks the 61-year-old's return to work having received the all-clear from scans this week in his recovery from bowel cancer.

Mowbray, the 2007/2008 Championship winning boss with the Baggies, is the first managerial appointment by Shilen Patel's ownership group Bilkul Football WBA and ends the three-and-a-half hunt.

Mowbray was initially in Albion's final three candidates before the board elected for Swiss coach Raphael Wicky, but those talks broke down over Wicky's failure to assemble a staff. The club resumed talks to make Mowbray the successor to Carlos Corberan this week after he was given the medical all-clear on Wednesday.

The title-winning boss has made an emotional return to The Hawthorns, 16 years after leaving the club - and 12 months since he was struck down by a bowel cancer diagnosis.

But having been given the all-clear this week, Mowbray cannot wait to return to work.

He said: “I’ve been given the all-clear from the doctors after scans earlier this week and I’m full of energy, full of vibrancy and ready to go and do what I feel I do best.

“The bottom line for me is that health-wise, I’ve had a tough year. I couldn’t sit here and say it was a good experience to go through, but it’s been a life experience for me.

“There’s been low moments and sad moments with the family, but it’s been an experience that I look back at in my life and I’m incredibly grateful I’ve come through the other side.

“There’ll be no lack of energy from me, I’m ready to go. I’ve had a year of lying in a hospital bed getting driven back and forth twice a week for treatment.

“I’m full of energy again. People who know me well say that I’m back. Bring it on.”

Albion's new boss brings his long-term assistant Mark Venus back to The Hawthorns as his assistant manager. The pair return to the game having departed Blues last summer given Mowbray's ill-health. The latter had stepped back due to his diagnosis last February, having only overseen eight fixtures.

Mowbray, who has signed a two-and-a-half year contract, also took the Baggies to an FA Cup semi-final in 2008. He first departed Albion at the end of the 2008/09 Premier League relegation campaign and moved to Celtic, where he served as a player.

He returns more than a decade-and-a-half later having since managed Celtic, Middlesbrough - where he was club captain - Coventry, Blackburn, Sunderland and Blues.

Owner and chairman Shilen Patel said: “Tony’s return is driven by the excellent head coach he is now and while I know he is proud of his previous time with the Albion, his desire to achieve new success shone through from our first meeting.

“Tony has a wealth of experience across British football and shares our vision for the football club. He truly cares about bringing the best out of players and instils determination and commitment in his teams.

“I am thrilled he is our new head coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to write a new chapter in his Baggies story with his unwavering desire to compete and win.”