LITTLE did Tony Mowbray know when tuning in to watch Rovers’ televised FA Cup fifth round tie with Manchester United in February that he would be the manager at Ewood Park only three days later.

Owen Coyle’s last match in charge came in the spirited 2-1 defeat to Jose Mourinho’s side on February 19 when substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted the winner for the visitors.

Rovers parted company with Coyle two days later with Mowbray in through the arrivals door at Ewood Park the next day charged with trying to guide the club to safety.

Mowbray’s first contact with Rovers came only on the morning of his appointment and tomorrow he leads them into their first FA Cup tie since the United defeat when they host League Two side Barnet.

Reflecting on his time in charge, Mowbray said: “I would have to say it’s been an enjoyable time for me, not enjoyable when we got relegated, that was hugely frustrating.

“We’ve talked a lot about last season, we lost three games in 15, had a real good shot at it and most years that would have kept this club in the league.

“When Neil Warnock took over at Rotherham (in 2015/16) he had 16 games to go, got one more point than we did and yet stayed up by nine points that year.

“But now we have this job to do which is why I keep saying our main aim, our only aim, is to bounce back at the first attempt and get back into the Championship and then compete at that level.

“There has been a lot of water under the bridge, players have left and come in, but my overriding emotion about the last eight months is one of enjoyment.

“It’s a great club with a lot of great people working here.

“I want to try and bring some joy back to the club, bring back a winning mentality and get used to expecting to win games at player, manager and supporter level and try and turn it around.

“It’s not easy, it can take a bit of time.  When you have been at the wrong end of the table for a while it can take time.

“It’s not easy to change a mentality of everyone – it’s a daily process of creating positivity and expectation but not let that  put an extra burden on the players out on the pitch.”