TONY Mowbray arrives at Blackburn Rovers in a not too dissimilar position to the one he inherited at his last club, Coventry City, in March 2015.

Then he took over a squad which was underperforming and in relegation trouble entering the final third of the season.

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Mowbray had 14 games in which to steady the ship and guide the Sky Blues to safety. An objective he achieved.

At Ewood the situation is slightly more perilous with Rovers languishing in the relegation zone, rather than a place above the drop zone as Coventry were.

After announcing his appointment the Ricoh Arena club stated that in Mowbray they had ‘someone who could come in and hit the ground running.’ Five victories, four draws and five defeats from those final 14 games saw the Midlanders stay up.

It is a scenario the powers that be want the 53-year-old to repeat in East Lancashire, although Rovers may require a more substantial points tally if they’re to stay up.

But a run of three successive home fixtures following tomorrow’s trip to relegation rivals Burton Albion offer hope of a positive start.

Mowbray is a manager known for sticking to his philosophies, focusing on attacking football with technical players and pace.

Despite being 23rd in the table Rovers have the attacking players to fit into this system.

Fans have often seen impressive attacking play be let down by defensive frailties.

Mowbray will need to address the problems at the back but he did guide the Sky Blues to five clean sheets during the games at the end of the 2014/15 campaign.

He then oversaw a spectacular climb up the table the following season when his ability to attract talented young players on loan from Premier League clubs saw the Sky Blues top the table at Christmas.

The success, and style, helped unite a club which had long been in the doldrums.

On-going strife between owners and fans simmered away but Mowbray managed to orchestrate some success on the pitch even if a poor January transfer window saw Coventry slump out of play-off contention and led to him resigning 10 games into the next campaign with the club winless in 10.

Managing Coventry during their troubled recent history could well stand him in good stead, as will his ninth months in the Glasgow Celtic cauldron.

Mowbray has also enjoyed Championship success, albeit not in the recent past.

He led West Brom to promotion in 2008, a year after losing out in the play-off final to Derby while he led Middlesbrough to two top half finishes in his three years in charge.

He is likely to be seen by Rovers chiefs as a safe pair of hands and a win ratio of 41.9 per cent from 217 second tier games is no mean feat.

But it is the present day and not past glories that matter to Rovers fans and Mowbray will be judged on what happens from here on in.

Tomorrow at the Pirelli Stadium will offer us the first clues.