Former Middlesbrough legend Tony Mowbray is being lined up for a dramatic return to the club he served with distinction for nearly a decade. Boro, one the favourites for promotion at the beginning of the season, have won just one league match so far this season and are without an away win as they languish near the foot of the Championship.

On Saturday they gave a lacklustre display in a 3-0 defeat to early Championship leaders QPR and Loftus Road.

The Rangers supporters were taunting Boro boss Gordon Strachan claiming he would be sacked in the morning and whilst this is highly unlikely at present, sources at the Riverside Stadium have suggested that if results don't improve Mowbray could be in line to revive the Teessiders fortunes.

The irony of the situation would not be lost on either party as Mowbray was recently sacked after nine months at Celtic where he had succeeded Strachan.

The Boro boss was appointed part-way through last season and, after a promising start, hopes of a play-off berth faded, but much was expected this season after a number of buys and it could now depend on how long the club will give Strachan to turn the situation around.