West Brom ‘shame’ emerges after ruthless Tony Mowbray sack by Shilen Patel
Shilen Patel decided to sack Tony Mowbray after West Brom lost 3-1 to Derby County in the Championship on Monday.
John Eustace’s team travelled to The Hawthorns on 21 April as they looked to avoid going into the relegation zone.
Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates scored in the first half for the Rams, and while Adam Armstrong gave the Baggies some hope after pulling one back in the 70th minute, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s late strike sealed the three points for the visitors.
Patel quickly decided to part ways with Mowbray after the loss, which came as a surprise to some.
Mowbray departure unexpected after West Brom act quick
It’s a shame to see the Albion sack Mowbray after losing to Derby, Lewis Cox says.
The Express and Star journalist is disappointed that the former Birmingham City boss has left, instead expecting a decision on his future to be made next summer.
| Championship table (2024/25) | Points |
| 5. Bristol City | 67 |
| 6. Coventry | 66 |
| 7. Middlesbrough | 63 |
| 8. Millwall | 63 |
| 9. Blackburn Rovers | 62 |
| 10. West Brom | 60 |
Cox feels that Bilkul Football have acted ruthlessly but acknowledges that the English manager’s appointment at the West Midlands outfit wasn’t successful.
The journalist wrote on X (21 April): “A shame, above all. Didn’t expect it with two games left. Thought there was a decision to be made for owners in the summer. So they have acted pretty ruthlessly. Said in January, it wasn’t an emotional call, it was for the play-offs. It hasn’t worked.”
A shame, above all. Didn't expect it with 2 games left. Thought there was a decision to be made for owners in summer. So they have acted pretty ruthlessly. Said in Jan it wasn't an emotional call, it was for the POs. It hasn't worked. Adding to this⬇️#wbahttps://t.co/6UscTIJpSM
— Lewis Cox (@LewisCox_star) April 21, 2025
Patel needs to make right call with next manager at The Hawthorns
Patel is now tasked with appointing a new manager at The Hawthorns, and it remains to be seen what candidates the owners have in mind.
Mowbray’s dismissal at the Albion was inevitable at some point, given the recent results, albeit the timing was arguably shocking.
The English manager was unable to bring out the best in the squad, although Bilkul Football have to take some blame for their business in the winter transfer window.
West Brom sold Alex Palmer to Ipswich Town, where he’s thriving, with Josh Griffiths and Joe Wildsmith putting in some underwhelming performances in recent weeks.
The Baggies clearly needed a goalscorer after Josh Maja’s injury, but Adam Armstrong and Will Lankshear’s signings haven’t worked out.
It’s easy to blame Mowbray in hindsight, but the players also need to take responsibility for failing to turn up in the crunch stretch of the season.
The Black Country club were in a comfortable position in the Championship table, looking to make it to the play-offs a few months back, but five losses in the last six matches have seen them drop to 10th.
It’ll now be interesting to see what the future brings for the Baggies.