Burnley have confirmed former player Brian Laws as their new manager to succeed Owen Coyle.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Turf Moor, where he began his playing career and spent four seasons.
His trusted lieutenant Russ Wilcox, who spent ten years with Laws at Scunthorpe and Hillsborough, becomes assistant manager, while current senior first team pro Graham Alexander has been appointed as player/coach with immediate effect.
The new management team face a baptism of fire with a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday.
Announcing the appointment of Laws, who is set to be unveiled at a press conference at 3.30pm, the club said the former Grimsby, Iron and Owls manager was always the board of directors' "unanimous first choice for the vacancy".
A statement on the club's official website said: "The Burnley board have been particularly impressed by the way Brian consistently achieved relative success in his former post at Sheffield Wednesday, while operating with one of the lowest wage and transfer budgets in the Championship.
"The results of a Deloitte and Touche study, delivered at the club's request, confirm that he was top of the list of Championship managers over the period 2006-2009, in terms of delivering the best results relative to financial budgets.
"We believe Brian will deliver a continuity of the culture to which Burnley fans and staff have become accustomed.
"As a former Burnley defender, he is especially familiar with the club, the traditions we have and the passion we all share.
"To aid this continuity, Brian will be assisted in his managerial role by respected midfielder Graham Alexander, who takes up the post of player/coach with immediate effect, as a vibrant and strong management team takes shape.
"Brian's welcome appointment will provide real stability and enable Burnley Football Club to build on the foundations we now enjoy as a Premier League club.
"It is imperative that this stability is maintained over the next few years and Brian has demonstrated great loyalty, having managed just three clubs in total and two in the last 13 years."
The statement added: "Brian has shown great acumen with regard to player recruitment, having managed teams with nominal spending and wage budgets and establishing good working relationships with the very top clubs in English football.
"His appointment also dovetails with Burnley's long established and proud policy of developing home-grown talent.
"During his tenure at Sheffield Wednesday, Brian was steadfast in his determination to blood young talent, giving debuts to eight Academy starlets.
"Finally, the Burnley board of directors are convinced that Laws, who started his playing career at Turf Moor, is a winner who is passionate about returning to manage his former club.
"In closing, we welcome Brian 'home' to Turf Moor and we look forward to a long and successful working relationship."
Laws became the clear favourite to succeed Coyle on Wednesday morning following Doncaster's announcement that their manager Sean O'Driscoll, the other front-runner for the job, would be staying in South Yorkshire.
The 48-year-old has taken charge of more than 750 matches as a manager in spells at Grimsby (1994-1996), Scunthorpe (1997-2006) and Sheffield Wednesday (2006-2009), where he left by mutual consent in November.
from skysports.com
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 1:15 pm