West Brom return sees Tony Mowbray join select group of ex-Albion bosses

Mowbray made a sensational return to Albion on Friday - almost 16 years after he departed the club following a previous managerial spell between 2006 and 2009.

During that time he took the club to Wembley twice, including an FA Cup semi-final, and won the Championship title, Albion's last trophy and first title since 1920.

His return sees him join a small club of former Baggies managers who departed the club before making a return.

Here is a look back at the other managers who have departed Albion before returning for a second spell

Johnny Giles - 1975/1977 & 1984/85

Giles was one of the select group of Albion bosses to manage the side on two separate occasions, the first coming in a player-manager capacity in 1975.

He had already served as a player/boss for the Republic of Ireland, before moving to Albion where, after a slow start, he won over the Baggies supporters.

During his first spell, the club were promoted from the old Second Division in 1976, before finishing 7th in the First Division the following season.

Despite success on the field, his time in charge also saw issues off the pitch, including several clashes with the club's board over the financial running of the club.

According to reports, he had even tendered his resignation after winning promotion, before being persuaded to stay.

He did end up resigning in April 1977 and returned to Ireland where he spent a period managing Shamrock Rovers, before re-joining Albion for a second spell as manager during the 1983/84 season.

His second stint got off to a horrible start, as Albion were dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle, but he steered them to safety and the following season had them as high as fifth, before they ended the campaign in 12th.

That summer the club sold legend Cyrille Regis and top scorer Garry Thompson, with the replacements brought in proving to be unsuccessful.

And his second spell ended in October 1985, as he resigned following a 3-0 defeat to Coventry, which at the time was a record ninth straight defeat for Albion.

He was temporarily replaced at Albion by his brother-in-law Nobby Stiles, the England World Cup winner who was at the time youth team boss at Albion.

Ronnie Allen - 1977 & 1981/82

The former Baggies striker, who is the club's second highest goalscorer behind Tony 'Bomber' Brown, had two short stints as Baggies boss.

After spell as a coach in Spain, the US and Portugal, he re-joined Albion as a scouting advisor following a period in charge of Walsall.

Just six months later he was handed the managerial position, but after winning 11 of his 22 games in charge of the club he made a swift exit.

He took up a post as an advisor to the Saudi Arabia national team, before going on to manage again with Greek side Panathinaikos.

That was another short spell, as he left the club within six months.

Then in 1981, he got the call to return to Albion for a second time, to succeed Ron Atkinson.

That period in charge was slightly longer than the first. Under his stewardship, Albion reached the last four of both the FA Cup and League Cup, but  they suffered an early exit in the UEFA Cup and couldn't hit any sort of form in the league.

Albion stayed up on the final day of the 1981/82 season, but Allen's second spell was over as he decided to work as the club's general manager instead.

He stepped down from that position in 1983, but continued to scout for the club up until his retirement from the game in 1996.

Ron Atkinson - 1978/1981 & 1986/1987

Big Ron arrived at The Hawthorns in 1978, after spells in non-league with Kettering Town and then later at Cambridge United.

Atkinson spent three years at Albion,, which is still regarded by many as the best period in the club's history.

With the likes of Brown, Len Cantello, Derek Statham, along with Regis, Laurie Cunningham and then Brendon Batson, Atkinson assembled a side that was set to challenge for the First Division title.

By signing Batson from his old club Cambridge, Albion became the first team in English football to play three black players in the same side.

In his first season, Albion finished third in the First Division and went on a memorable run to the last eight of the UEFA Cup.

Then came one of Atkinson's finest hours and one of the most memorable games in Albion's history, as they dismantled Manchester United at Old Trafford in a 5-3 thriller.

In that season, Albion were going for the title with the great Liverpool side of that era, and were pipped to the post by just goal difference.

Many people sighted the cold winter snap, and Albion's huge backlog of games as one of the reasons for them not winning the title.

In 1981, they were up there again, finishing fourth before Atkinson was snapped up by Manchester United.

After six years away though, Big Ron then returned after being sacked at Old Trafford.

By this time, Albion were back in a very different place. They had slipped into the Second Division and were battling against relegation to the Third Division.

Atkinson did lead them to survival, before turning it around and putting them into the promotion picture in the 1988/89 season.

However, just months into his second spell he had left the club.

After his departure from United, he was due to move to Spain and take over at Atletico Madrid, but that appointment was delayed and he then took up the Baggies job.

But when the Spanish side came calling again in October 1988, he was heading for the exit door.