Sunderland AFC will regret not tasting Blackburn Rovers success from Tony Mowbray recruit | OneFootball

The midfielder was sensational during his spell at Ewood Park but failed to match his prime form at Sunderland.

During his tenure at Sunderland, Tony Mowbray got an awful lot right, which is why he is held in such high regard among supporters.

In his first season, the 61-year-old exceeded expectations on Wearside and then some, with the Black Cats defying expectations to achieve a play-off finish.

However, there were times when he got things wrong and one signing stands out as a particularly bad piece of business during his reign.

Bradley Dack was a Blackburn Rovers talisman

If you told Sunderland supporters they could have had Bradley Dack during his prime Blackburn Rovers days, then they would swipe your hand off.

After signing from Gillingham for a measly £750,000 in 2017, the midfielder wasted no time in forging a name for himself as one of the most recognised figures in the EFL.

During his first season at Ewood Park, Dack played a pivotal role in the club's promotion from League One by bagging 18 goals and nine assists.

Dack earned himself Blackburn's player of the year award and went on to build on the terrific start he made in Lancashire by contributing 57 goals and 28 assists during 173 appearances for the club.

Much of the credit for the midfielder's success must go to Mowbray, who managed Dack for a staggering five years at the club before he left his role in 2022.

Bradley Dack could not match Blackburn Rovers form at Sunderland

Two months after leaving Ewood Park, Mowbray took over at the Stadium of Light, replacing Alex Neil after his shock departure to Stoke City.

His first season in charge marked the best season in the club's recent history, with the Black Cats losing out in the play-off final to Luton Town, who went on to reach the Premier League.

After losing Diallo and Ross Stewart, Mowbray had to fill in the gaps and turned to his former Blackburn ace, Dack, to build on the success of the previous campaign.

While the midfielder was a household name for Sunderland supporters, they were aware that his best days were probably behind him after he struggled to make an impact at the end of his Rovers stint.

Dack put those doubts to bed with his early performances in the North East, bagging an assist and a goal in his first four appearances for the club.

Unfortunately, the hype did not last, and the attacking midfielder picked up a thigh injury, which would mark the beginning of the end of his time at the Stadium of Light.

When he returned from injury, he was limited to substitute appearances before Mowbray was given his marching orders in a season that spiralled into despair.

Dack again picked up a thigh injury, which kept him out of the majority of the campaign and his chances of remaining on Wearside dissipated before his very eyes.

The 31-year-old's stint came to an end after just one year at the club, having only played 585 minutes of Championship football all season and just one goal to his name.

In the end, the season that promised so much for Dack and Sunderland delivered so little, in what must be regarded as a poor piece of business.