Tony Mowbray ‘humbled’ by kind Leeds United gesture after cancer battle
Leeds United offered Tony Mowbray the chance to attend Elland Road during his battle with bowel cancer, the former Birmingham City manager has said.
Speaking with former team-mate Bernie Slaven (13 January), Mowbray said he’d been “humbled” by the gestures made by those at Elland Road, and displays at the stadium itself, after his diagnosis in 2024.
Mowbray has been out of work since leaving Birmingham City to receive treatment last May, and said he’d received calls from Angus Kinnear offering him tickets to matches once he’s ready to attend.
Slaven asked: “Clubs, fans, everybody showed their concern, their love. Was it Leeds United that had you up on the screen? I couldn’t believe it.”
Mowbray replied: “Leeds United have been in touch – I was so humbled by it and I still am.
“Listen, I don’t know why – I mean, what connection have I got with Leeds United? Yet their sporting director was on the phone, offering me tickets to come to games, and inviting me into the boardroom.”
Leeds United show classy touch towards Tony Mowbray
Mowbray has indeed never been in charge at Elland Road despite being a sensible choice for a largely unsensible club across the past 20 years, but that doesn’t take away from the Whites’ kind gesture.
You’d half-expect the 61-year-old to be a polarising figure in LS11 given he’s managed historic foes such as Celtic and Sunderland as well as semi-local rivals Middlesbrough during his storied career.
However, that’s never been the case despite how fervent and bearpit-like Elland Road can be, with every United fan knowing that Mowbray is without doubt one of football’s good guys.
Kinnear, having much more experience of English football than many of his contemporaries on United’s board, will know this is as good as a statement of fact, making his offer of matchday tickets no surprise.
Mowbray may not be keen to watch his former sides West Brom and Sunderland pitch up at Elland Road given the Whites’ superb home form, but seeing him back at grounds will be warm the heart of every football fan.
In other Leeds news, a £3.3million offer has reportedly been tabled from Elland Road today in a bizarre transfer development.
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