THE man whose quote led to a fanzine being named after Tony Mowbray has predicted the new managerial appointment at Middlesbrough is destined to succeed.

Mowbray will take his final training session of the week this morning ahead of his first match in charge of the club he supported as a boy when Bristol City travel to the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

Bruce Rioch, the former Boro manager who led a Mowbray-captained Middlesbrough to promotion during the late 80s, is satisfied chairman Steve Gibson only had one option to take when looking for Gordon Strachan’s successor.

“Gibson’s decision is sensible and solid,” said Rioch, who once said if he had to fly to the moon he would take Mowbray. “They know the person they are bringing in, his character and his make-up, his enthusiasm, drive, love and desire for Middlesbrough Football Club.

“Having played there through the days of liquidation and having stayed loyal to the club through those difficult years, they know the man they are getting.”

Mowbray has been in the frame for the Middlesbrough job on two previous occasions, only to be overlooked by Gibson – but this time he was the only realistic contender.

Discussions took place with Paul Ince, who was yesterday appointed Notts County manager, but Mowbray was the one the Middlesbrough chairman wanted from the moment Strachan resigned 11 days ago.

“If you were to ask Tony Mowbray ‘Where would you want to come back into management?’ – we may all want to choose a top Premier League club but they don’t always come along.

Middlesbrough is ideal and perfect for him,” said Rioch, in an interview with Middlesbrough’s RedSquare matchday programme.

“He has inherited a team in the bottom three, with falling attendances and a team that has to not only play its way out of trouble but fight its way out of trouble. They are going to have to be extremely competitive.

“It is a tough task and his first priority after getting into the club and meeting the players is to start getting points on the board quickly.

He knows the size of his task but he has to get his teeth into it and enjoy the challenge.”

Mowbray’s successes at West Brom and Hibernian – where he achieved promotion and a UEFA Cup place, respectively – arrived before a miserable year in Scotland with Celtic. A failure to win the Scottish Premier League led to his departure in March.

“Overall he has done very well in management. He had a difficult time up in Scotland but his win ratio was over 50 per cent,” said Rioch.

“It is just that you have to compete with Rangers and that is very difficult in a country where there are only two teams that are seriously competing.

“He has been through the most difficult times as a player, he has been away, cut his teeth as a manager and now he is back faced with reversing the club’s slide down over the last four years.”

Mowbray has spent this week with his squad ahead of the visit of the Championship’s bottom club tomorrow.

He will also assess the merits of the coaching staff he has at his disposal.

The 46-year-old has only so far brought in his assistant, Mark Venus, but he could still bring in more, with Stephen Pears and Peter Grant two who would fit the bill.

Mowbray, however, claims he is in no rush to make further additions, although the time might come when he will introduce a new face or two.

The new Boro boss said: “My philosophy is not to get rid of good people. If I don’t know them, there’s probably some good people at this club, and if they are good at their jobs then they have no fears.

“Ultimately any manager wants to work with people who understands what their philosophies are, be supportive of him and pull in the same direction.”

■ Boro are hoping many of the fans that have stayed away in recent times will come back tomorrow for Mowbray’s homecoming. There will be a string of cut-price deals available for the fans looking for a drink or buying a shirt, while the usual run-out music will be ditched for the day in favour of Ayresome Park favourite, The Power Game.

Seats prices for Boro Pride members are £8 for under-18s and start at £21 adults, £14 over-65s and those aged 18- 21. General sale prices start at £23 adults and £16 over-65, with all under-18s paying £13.