Mowbray takes over at Celtic

Tony Mowbray has been appointed Celtic manager after a protracted search for a successor to Gordon Strachan, the Scottish Premier League club confirmed yesterday.

"Celtic Football Club is delighted to confirm that Tony Mowbray has been appointed the new Celtic manager. Tony will be joined at Celtic by Mark Venus, Peter Grant and Neil Lennon in the new Celtic management team," a statement on the club's website read.

The appointment finally ends Celtic's drawn-out bid to replace Strachan, who departed in the aftermath of the team's failure to win a fourth consecutive league title.

Mowbray, who played for Celtic between 1991 and 1995, had been one of three managers targeted by Celtic, along with Burnley's Owen Coyle and Swansea's Roberto Martinez.

Coyle decided to remain at Turf Moor after leading the Clarets into the English Premier League, while Martinez opted for the lure of his former club Wigan.

West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace reluctantly agreed to allow the Glasgow giants to speak to Mowbray on Saturday after Celtic agreed to pay two million pounds in compensation for the former Parkhead defender.

Mowbray is no stranger to Scottish football after leading Hibernian to two top-four finishes in 2005 and 2006.