CHRIS LAKEY Two old Bhoys come together for the first time as managers today when Celtic legends Peter Grant and Tony Mowbray conduct their own personal, and friendly, battle on the West Brom sidelines.

CHRIS LAKEY

Two old Bhoys come together for the first time as managers today when Celtic legends Peter Grant and Tony Mowbray conduct their own personal, and friendly, battle on the West Brom sidelines.

Grant and Mowbray were team-mates at Celtic Park, they've faced each other in the East Anglian derby and, while they've taken different routes into Championship management - Mowbray via the Scottish Premier League, Grant through coaching at West Ham - they do have one other thing in common: they were both appointed on October 13.

“And me and Tony are good friends,” said Grant yesterday. “It is ironic we both got the job on the same day. He's a top man, he played centre-back at Celtic behind me in centre midfield.

“He went through a lot of difficult times at Celtic, lost his first wife, Bernadette who I knew very well and I think it showed the strength of character that he had - nobody can really understand until it happens and hopefully it never does. He lost a young wife and he was a young man so he had a lot to cope with.”

Grant played more than 450 games in a 15-year career at Celtic, which ended when he moved south to Norwich in 1997 - where he was to cross paths with Mowbray again.

“He was at Ipswich and I came up against him many times, and when I was at West Ham,” said Grant. “Then he went to Hibs and did exceptionally well. He had a young group of players and went to places like Ibrox and Celtic Park and got Hibs victories for the first time in many years, so he has left a good legacy up there.

“He always wanted to come back to England, he has got the opportunity, coming to a big club like West Brom, and I am sure he'll do well.”