TONY Mowbray hopes a ghost from his past does not resurface to derail Middlesbrough’s magnificent home record.

The Boro boss rates former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips as the finest finisher he has ever worked with, but could not put together a deal to bring him to the Riverside over the summer when the 38-year-old left Birmingham.

Phillips, who spent two years playing under Mowbray at West Bromwich Albion and helped the Baggies win promotion to the Premier League in 2008, joined today’s opponents Blackpool instead and is the Tangerines’ top scorer with seven goals so far.

And Mowbray knows his defence will still have to be on their guard as Boro look to extend their unbeaten run on home soil to 16 games.

“We never got as far as discussions with Kevin,” said Mowbray.

“But I worked with Kevin for two years at West Brom and I don’t think I’ve worked with a better finisher.

“Kevin spent a lot of last season on the bench at Birmingham so it was a brave, but ultimately a very good, decision from [Blackpool manager] Ian Holloway to show faith in him.

“And Kevin has repaid that faith with some very important goals.

“Kevin is 38 now but he is still so clinical.

“And the thing about him is that he has adapted his game over the years. If you look back to when he was at Sunderland and winning the Golden Shoe there, he was so athletic and sharp.

“But as you get older you have to change your game and he’s done that. He’s turned into a very clever centre-forward who knows where to stand, knows how to pull on shoulders and doesn’t beat you with speed, he beats you with his brain.”

Boro go into today’s game third in the Championship while Blackpool, who were relegated in May after a single season in the Premier League, are two places and five points behind them.

Holloway saw a clutch of key players depart following relegation, with Charlie Adam joining Liverpool, striker DJ Campbell moving to Queens Park Rangers and midfielder David Vaughan leaving for Sunderland.

But Mowbray applauds his opposite number for rebuilding his squad and sticking to the footballing principles that brought them victories against the likes of Liverpool and Spurs last season.

He said: “Ian has to take a lot of credit, because he lost a lot of players over the summer following relegation.

“The likes of Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell and David Vaughan all moved on, after doing well for him in the Premier League.

“He’s rebuilt the team and, while it probably took a few weeks for them to gel at the start of the season, the result they got at Elland Road suggests that they have now found their feet and they’re going strong.

“They play an open and expansive game.

“Hopefully, they will get his rewards at the end of the season – finishing just behind us, of course!”

Boro have won their last two home games, against Derby and Watford, while Blackpool enjoyed a resounding 5-0 success against Leeds United in their last away game. Mowbray said: “We know what to expect from Blackpool. They won their last away game 5-0 at Leeds, so we know we have a tough game coming up.

“But we won two games on the bounce at home just before the international break, so that should stand us in good stead, and we’ll be trying to make it a hat-trick this afternoon.” Boro’s internationals Rhys Williams, Tarmo Kink and Barry Robson all returned unscathed from international duty and will be in contention.

And there was also good news for Mowbray with midfielder Kevin Thomson and defender Justin Hoyte nearing a return to action.

He said: “Kevin and Justin are both back on the training ground and are probably only a week away from returning – two weeks, at the most – which is fantastic news.”