Blackburn Rovers have had a major boardroom reshuffle ahead of the new season.

In a move designed to establish a 'slimmed down, more executive orientated board' John Williams has replaced Rob Coar as the club's new chairman.

And new roles have also been created for Tom Finn and David Brown as part of a new management structure, which has been agreed in conjunction

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with the Trustees of the late Jack Walker, the club's major shareholder.

New Chairman John Williams, who was formerly Rovers' chief executive, said today: "The Trustees were keen to see a slimmed down, more executive orientated Board.

"Our job was to come up with a structure that met the requirement, strengthened the relationship between the Board and the Trustees and at the same time preserved continuity of operations especially for Mark Hughes and the football management team where reporting structures remain unchanged.

"We believe these objectives have been achieved."

The reorganisation has also been instigated to create more development headroom in the management structure, which is evident in the new roles of Managing and Finance Directors.

A Commercial Director may well be added in due course.

Spokesman for the Trustees, Paul Egerton-Vernon, said: "As the majority shareholders in Blackburn Rovers we have for some time been considering the appropriate Board structure for the club.

"This process has been applied within our other businesses, where we feel that our interests are best served by having a strong executive management team, together with appropriately qualified non-executive directors, including individuals specifically representing our interests.

"In this context we are delighted with the appointment of John Williams as the new Executive Chairman of Blackburn Rovers together with the strengthening of the executive aspects of the Board.

"In his former role of Chief Executive, John demonstrated his absolute commitment to the development of the club in a difficult and changing economic environment.

"We know that in his new role he will guide the Board of Directors with similar vigour, enthusiasm and business acumen as he has always displayed in the eight years that he has been at the club."

There will be a redefining of key areas of responsibility between the Directors to get a maximum effort where it is most needed.

The office of Chief Executive is transformed into the role of executive Chairman and John Williams' key responsibilities are football business/operations together with a focus on strategic initiatives, including an appraisal of the opportunities for new investment into the club.

The Managing Director, Tom Finn, will be responsible for most of the day to day operations of the club.

The appointment of David Brown as Vice Chairman is also crucial, too, as he will provide a key link to Shareholders.

David, one of Jack Walker's foremost business colleagues, is already a Trustee and has recently stepped down as Chairman of the airline, Flybe, which will enable him to devote more time to the club.

Robert Coar and Richard Matthewman, meanwhile, have become non-executive directors, while Iain Stanners, George Root and Keith Lee have retired from the board and join Milton Jeffries as Vice Presidents.

Williams added: "We have to be 'fit for the future' both on the pitch and in the Boardroom.

"The restructuring will help us deliver the business strategies needed to keep Rovers a Premiership force.

"The challenges facing a Provincial town team in the big-city set-up that is the Premiership become increasingly acute but we are determined to succeed."