Birmingham City have named Tony Mowbray as their new manager on a two-and-a-half year deal, six days after sacking Wayne Rooney.
Mowbray, 60, was himself sacked by Blues’ Championship rivals Sunderland on 4 December.
Ex-England captain Rooney managed just two wins from his 15 games in charge.
Mowbray is the club’s third boss this season after they controversially parted company with John Eustace in October with Blues sixth in the table.
Since then Birmingham have fallen to 20th in the Championship, six points above the relegation zone.
“Tony was the standout candidate in our search for a new manager,” Blues co-owner and chairman Tom Wagner said. “His knowledge of and passion for the game shone through.
“He shares our ambition and will bring stability at an important time for our great club. We received extremely positive feedback from everyone we spoke to about Tony.”
“He is the right leader at the right time for our club,” chief executive Garry Cook added. “He knows what it takes to be successful at this level.
“Tony has rightfully earned a reputation as a manager who delivers results, likes to play attractive football, and gives young players a chance.”
Bluenoses are passionate – Mowbray
Mowbray’s first game in charge will be against 16th-placed Swansea City at St Andrew’s on Saturday as they look for their first league win in six matches.
“I can’t wait to get back on the training pitch and start working with this talented group of players,” Mowbray said.
“My focus is on building their confidence, delivering results, and giving Blues fans a team they can be excited by and proud of.
“I know from personal experience how passionate Bluenoses are, home and away, and I’m looking forward to having their full support for the team starting on Saturday at home to Swansea City.”
Aside from four games as Ipswich Town caretaker boss, North Yorkshire-born Mowbray began his managerial career north of the border with Hibernian in 2004, before heading south to join West Bromwich Albion.
He then returned to Scotland for a season at his former club Celtic, and also managed boyhood club Middlesbrough, where he spent the majority of his playing days.
He had five years in charge of Blackburn Rovers before being appointed Sunderland boss last season.
He guided Sunderland to the Championship play-offs, but they were beaten by eventual winners Luton Town in the semi-final and he was sacked after a run of just two wins in nine league games before Christmas.
This is Mowbray’s third job in the Midlands, having guided Albion to the Championship title in 2008 before later leading Coventry City for 18 months between March 2015 and September 2016.