MICK Brown, the vastly-experienced former manager and coach, will join Blackburn Rovers as their new chief scout next week.

And Brown, who is leaving a similar post with Coventry City to come to Ewood, can't wait to get started.

Best known for his time as assistant to Ron Atkinson at Manchester United and West Brom, Brown jumped at the chance to join Rovers - a club he has always admired.

He replaces Barry Geldard, who has just retired.

Brown lives in the Manchester area and he said: "I had no hang-ups about working for Coventry but I felt it was time to move.

"Living in this part of the world and not being at the club on a daily basis didn't help me feel part of things.

"But that will be different at Blackburn.

"Coming here has always been one of my favourite trips and I'm delighted that I will now be working for them. There's a new manager coming in but I know all the other staff and have done for a long time.

"I just want to get my coat off and get down to work. "It will be good to work in this area again, it's like Eldorado for football around here with so many big clubs.

"The only problem with that is you want to be top dog and as long as it's Blackburn Rovers that will do for me."

Brown, who was assistant at Bolton for five years, also managed Oxford and had a very successful spell abroad in Malaysia, has long been an admirer of Rovers - underlined by the fact that he was more than happy to let his son Gary join the club as an apprentice in the 1980s.

Most important, he wants to become part of a backroom team again and, living in the North West, will enable him to do that.

Tony Parkes was pleased that Rovers had been able to secure a capable successor to Geldard, who had reached retirement age, so quickly.

He said: "Mick is a very experienced operator and very knowledgeable about the game. I am sure he will do an excellent job for the club."

Meanwhile, there was speculation in the national Press today linking Rovers with Fiorentina's Gabriel Batistuta.

He will struggle to find any club in the Premiership prepared to pay so much, even though there is no doubt about his quality. Paul Warhurst, who has turned down the offer of a new contract at Ewood, could become a target for Barnsley.

The newly-promoted club are expected to sign several players this summer and are thought to be interested in Warhurst, not least because of his versatility.

Manager Danny Wilson's Sheffield Wednesday links have already seen David Hirst and Chris Waddle mentioned in speculation about moves to Oakwell.

But a contact close to Barnsley said: "Warhurst would seem to be a better bet than either of those two and it would not surprise me if they were interested in him."

Barnsley's record fee is the £250,000 they paid for John Hendrie. But that will be smashed this summer as Wilson prepares for the Premiership.

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