David Lowe believes Tony Mowbray has looked to improve all aspects of the club as he marks two years in the job.

Lowe was installed as first team coach when Mowbray replaced Owen Coyle on this day in 2017 with Rovers battling to stay in the Championship.

Along with David Dunn and Ben Benson, Lowe was promoted from his role within the Academy to work alongside Mowbray and has praised the boss for his human qualities that have brought an ‘honesty and enthusiasm’ to the club.

A haul of 22 points from 15 games wasn’t able to keep the club in the Championship, but they quickly bounced back with immediate promotion from League One.

Mowbray’s philosophy and emotion has struck a chord with supporters and players alike, with Lowe admitting those behind the scenes have also bought in to what Mowbray has implemented.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, improve the training if we can, the players if we can, every aspect of the football club,” he said.

“What’s also important is trying to encourage members of staff to improve, to come in every day and try and develop.

“The bottom line is if we’re all trying to go in the right direction and improve then that can only improve the team in the long run.

“That’s what we’re there for, to produce a team that wins matches on a regular basis.

“He’s very hands on, enthusiastic, inspirational, whether it be with the kit man or first team coach and when he’s on the training ground he’s involved in every session.

“I think he’s been a breath of fresh air who comes in to work on a daily basis and enjoys working hard and is enthusiastic with staff and players.”

Lowe worked at the Academy for seven years before being promoted to the first team, a role he has continued in since the arrival of Mowbray’s long-term assistant Mark Venus in June 2017.

Lowe added: “(Tony) has brought honesty, enthusiasm to go out and work with players, tactical knowledge and obviously great experience of management and being able to man-manage players.

“I think he has improved players individually and also tactically with the team during the two years.

“He’s improved every aspect of the football team whether that be individually or collectively.”

  • Rovers chief is ‘a calming influence’ 

Tony Mowbray’s personal assistant, Lesley Fielding, believes the boss has brought a calmness to the whole club in his two years in charge.

Today marks two years since the boss replaced Owen Coyle, and was first introduced, after accepting the job, to Fielding by then director of football and operations Paul Senior.

Fielding’s first task was to source accommodation for Mowbray, something she is well versed at doing, having house hunted for countless new signings under her other guise as player liaison officer.

Without his regular assistant manager, Mark Venus, for the first four months in the job, Fielding became a familiar face for Mowbray.

In her 11 years in the role, Fielding has worked alongside nine different managers, and said of Mowbray: “His calmness transcends through the building. He has bought in to the whole club and has a keen interest in what is going on.

“The lads have so much respect for him. They are a tight group anyway.

“He inherited some strong characters but he has brought in the right people around them.

“He has taken a real interest in everything about the club and I have always had the feeling he has a love for the club.

“He has really strong values which he has brought with him.”

There are around 30 non-playing staff at Brockhall, and Mowbray introduced daily meetings at 8.45am, when the day ahead is mapped out.

Nothing goes unnoticed by the manager. From kitchen staff to those in the laundry room, Mowbray is happy to chat with everyone. But in a highly scrutinised and intense industry, there is pressure for results.

“I know as soon as I walk in to his office every morning how far I can push things,” Fielding said. “But I am myself around him and he wouldn’t have it any other way.”

A self-confessed football nut, Mowbray is also partial to a biscuit or two, and quite particular over the type and brand, (chocolate and Marks and Spencer, if you’re asking).

Fielding added: “I have always brought in biscuits but was having to do so more and more and it got to the point where I said he’d have to start paying!”

  • Tony’s honesty is the best policy, believes skipper

Charlie Mulgrew believes Tony Mowbray has created an open and honest culture at Rovers which continues to stand the club in good stead.

Mulgrew, installed as captain by Mowbray at the start of last season, says the boss, who marks two years in charge today, has the full backing of the changing room.

The Scotland international says the players will now try and ensure they have a positive end to the season, not to undo the hard work so far.

Mulgrew said of Mowbray: “He has been a great manager.

“He’s someone who has the backing of the whole place and the changing room.

“He’s someone we’re grateful to have.

“We want to win games for him and we will pick the positives and negatives out of games and look to move forward as a team.

“Hopefully we can finish the season strong now.”

The boss has involved his senior players in decisions around the club during his tenure.

That can only be a positive in the eyes of 32-year-old Mulgrew as Rovers look to respond to a run of four consecutive defeats.

“It’s good, there’s a good open door policy,” he added.

“Everyone speaks to give their opinion and we come to a conclusion, put a gameplan together and that really helps.

“He’s created a good culture here where there is a good group of lads who can have a go at each other and try and put the negatives in to positives and that’s worked well for us so far.”