Ex-Sunderland and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray's emotional speech at Middlesbrough following health issue

Tony Mowbray delivered an emotional speech at Riverside Stadium last weekend.

Former Sunderland boss Mowbray resigned as manager of Birmingham City earlier this summer as he continues his recovery from surgery.

Mowbray had hoped to return to the dugout at St Andrew’s to lead their push for an immediate return to the Championship but explained his recovery meant he could not lead the club’s preparations for the new campaign.

Mowbray has stated his intention to return to management but says he will only do so after fully recovering and spending time with his family.

Mowbray took in Middlesbrough's game against Swansea City at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and was presented to the crowd at half-time. Mowbray previously played for and managed the Teessiders and hails from the area.

“So many people have been in touch, the football world. I saw the pictures of the stadium wishing me well when I was really, really ill. As I say, it's been a tough six months. I thank everybody in the stadium for the support that I've had. It makes me emotional that people care. 

“At the end of the day, I'm just a lad from Redcar who tried his best for the red and white shirts for, I don't know, 400 games and that people care. People come up to me in the street and give me bags of sweets and revels.

“It's embarrassing, but it's really humbling for me that people care about my life, really. My wife and my kids are up there. They've been amazing for six months. My wife's turned into Florence Nightingale. To everybody in the stadium, thank you very much for your help, for your support. And I'm feeling good. Thank you.”

“Asked about his debut for Boro, Mowbray added: “We played Newcastle United away. I'm trying to think. Kevin Keegan up front. Mike Channon, that was like the England strikeforce, basically. I was thrown into play at the back. We got a 1-0 draw.

“Darren Woods scored a brilliant goal. And we drew 1-1 at St. James. It was an amazing way to start my career and as I say, for, I think, 12 years, really, the support of the people of Teesside. It's very humbling for me to still live in the area and to still bump into people who really care about the team. Who care about the players who've helped the team over the years.

It's great to see Proc and Bernie and Frankie Spraggon up there. A lad I used to watch as a kid with my dad. You know, a legend in my mind and I see, as I'm getting from my car today, little kids who are less than 10-year-olds wanting pictures and autographs.

“It's passed on from their dads and their dads' dads, really. Oh, there's Tony Mowbray. The kids don't know who you are, but they're happy to have pictures. It's really humbling to have played a part in the history of this great football club.”