Blackburn Rovers have confirmed that former Blues skipper and coach Tony Mowbray will be leaving his job this summer.
The 58-year-old one-time central defender had been manager at Ewood Park since 2017 with his departure having been widely expected despite Rovers having been in the Championship play-off hunt for most of the season before eventually finishing eighth.
In a statement on their website Rovers confirmed that "it has been jointly agreed” that Mowbray will be leaving the club at the end of his contract in the close season.
Mowbray told the official Rovers website: "Firstly, I’d like to thank the owners and the board for giving me the opportunity to manage a football club that is steeped in such great history and tradition. It’s been a real privilege to have been the manager of Blackburn Rovers.
"I’d also like to say thank you to all the supporters and all the amazing staff at the club, particularly those who I’ve worked with on a daily basis at the Senior Training Centre, but also the extended staff who work at Ewood Park and the Academy.
"It’s been a wonderful experience to bring my values to a football club over a five-year period and to create an environment where people enjoy coming into work every day and where players feel like they can improve every day.
"I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s been very rewarding and I thank everybody for coming along on the journey with me, but I feel as though the time is right to move on and let somebody else have a go. I wish this amazing group of young players and the club in general every success going forward.”
Club owners Venkys said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank Tony for the way he has headed up the football management of the club and the tremendous amount of effort and self-sacrifice he made during his time at the club.
"We appreciate the hard work he has put in during his tenure, nearly avoiding relegation out of the Championship and for then getting us promoted out of League One at the first time of asking.
"Also for all the work that has been done behind the scenes to develop a strong young team that we hope to build upon in future years. We wish him well now and also in any future role he may undertake.”
Rovers CEO Steve Waggott added: "This is the second club that I have worked closely with Tony and I have total respect for him not only as a very good footballing manager, but also as a very honest and decent human being.
"He has brought stability to the club during his tenure and has created a platform for his successor to build on, by leaving behind the nucleus of a talented young squad. I wish him all the best in the future.”
There is currently no confirmation regarding the future of Mowbray’s Rovers assistant and former Town team-mate Mark Venus.