MOWBRAY REVELLING IN A SWEET MEETING WITH THE MACKEMS

TONY MOWBRAY knows he is fondly remembered on Wearside – he’s still eating the evidence of it!

The self-confessed chocoholic was a surprising departure from the

Stadium of Light two months ago as he paid the price for over-achievement with the Black Cats.

A run of one point from five gave the decisionmakers the chance to part company with their boss the Wearsiders were ninth, three points from the play-off places.

But Sunderland’s loss is Birmingham City’s gain in the wake of their disastrous appointment of Wayne Rooney. Mowbray is no stranger to the west Midlands – having managed both West Bromwich Albion and Coventry.

Although every time he opens his desk drawer at the club’s training base, it appears he’s reminded of his time on Wearside.

He said: “I was out walking for an hour last week with my wife along the river in Durham, near the cathedral.

“I must have been stopped about 35 times by Sunderland supporters who wished me well. Most of them said, ‘Good luck with Birmingham – apart from next week – we loved the football you played’.

“One even said it was the best he’d seen at the Stadium of Light since Peter Reid’s time as manager. All of that was nice - good for the soul, if you like - but I know they liked me because I’m still chomping my way through the mountains of Revels they gave me.

“Once Sunderland fans knew I liked them, I’d turn up at the Stadium of Light and there would be kids there giving me packets and packets of them.

“I had awful visions of these kids spending the last £1.50 of their pocket money on chocolate. For me.”

Not to be outdone, one of Birmingham’s biggest names in chocolate have tried to make him feel at home.

He added: “Cadbury’s sent me a beautiful hamper. If they want to sponsor me, that would be fine!”

Birmingham are expecting their largest crowd for over five years after the stadium, now fully open, was repaired by new owners Knighthead.

Mowbray said: “I hear there’s going to be a big turn-out. It’ll only be special day for us if we are putting them under pressure.”