Tony Mowbray confirmed the 2-1 win at Birmingham City will be his final game in charge of Rovers, bringing an end to his five years in charge.

Long-range strikes from John Buckley and Ben Brereton saw Rovers sign off the 2021/22 campaign with a victory to finish eighth with 69 points.

Mowbray’s contract runs to June 30, but with the season now concluded, his time in charge is coming to and after more than five years in charge.

He met with chief executive Steve Waggott earlier this week, but said his future remains decided.

He said: “I had an hour in my office with Steve, an hour just talking between two guys, we didn’t get into the nitty gritty of football or contracts.

“I’m not sure about how the hierarchy works, even though I’ve been here five years. Who ultimately makes the decisions? I don’t think Steve ultimately makes the decisions, I think his job is to make whatever decision gets made, happen.

“There was no discussions about contracts, it was just a chat.

“Steve is a good man, nothing is going to change my mind, it is too far down the line. That was my last game today for this football club.

“If the owners phone then I will thank them for the opportunity they gave me and that will be that.

“I’ve had an emotional chat with the lads, they’re an amazing bunch, young players who are desperate to do well.

“It’s not my job to pick the next coach but I hope it’s someone who can develop footballers, make them better and give the club a chance to keep growing.

“I’ll step back now, it’s probably been made too much of.

“I’ll go and spend some time with my family, go on holiday, be a day, play footy on the beach.

“If the phone rings and I feel it’s right opportunity and it’s something I could get my teeth in to and help get to where it wants to, I’m someone who loves football so would never be someone who says ‘that’s me finished’.

“The job is getting harder and harder. I’ve spoken to a lot of managers in this last week, we all agree the job is tough.”

As for the game itself, Mowbray was pleased with his side’s display, having made three changes, including handing a debut to James Brown.

The squad was made up of players under contract, apart from captain Darragh Lenihan who was on the bench, with none of the five loanees included.

Of the win, Mowbray said: “I think the team played pretty controlled (football),

“It was a slightly changed team, but kept the top four really strong.

“I thought we played well, I thought Ayala did well, a lad who’s had someone had so many injury problems since joining our club, we left van Hecke our player of the year out, Lenihan the skipper out, it was a good performance and victory.

“It was just a little too late in the season.”

Buckley and Brereton both hit goal of the season contenders in the win, but it was the lack of goals earlier in the calendar year, and missed opportunities, that Mowbray reflected on.

“If you break the season down, we didn’t score enough goals,” he said.

“We scored two worldy goals, two goal of the season contenders, and you don’t get them every week.

“If you don’t score you can’t win, and even though some of those games recently, Sheffield Untied away and Bristol City at home, we miss a penalty and then lose the game in the 94th minute, when it should have been won 1-0.

“Those points have all slipped away, through our fingers.

“I’m pleased for the players, pleased for the supporters. For us, a good day, delighted with the goals we scored, the level of control generally, and the season is done.

“We’ll fall just short and I hope this club can build on the points accumulation and take that into next season, take that into the 70s or 80s.”

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