Former Rovers captain Russ Wilcox has returned to the club as Head of Recruitment.
Russ has a wealth of experience in and knowledge of the game. He had a 16 year playing career followed by 14 years as an assistant Manager in all four divisions and then Manager at Scunthorpe United and York City. Along the way he achieved five promotions across these three roles.For the past 12 months his focus has been on recruitment. Last season he worked at Preston North End on first team recruitment, and this season he has worked for Premier League side Southampton, targeting players from youth to senior professional.
Russ therefore also brings an array of contacts to the role and is excited to be back where it all started for him as a young boy.
He said: “It's great to be back at the club for a third time. I made one appearance as a 17-year-old under Billy Bremner then returned at 29 to captain the club for two years at Belle Vue.
"Things have changed significantly since then. The infrastructure at the club is first class. Everything is in place for the club to be successful."
Russ has been tasked with overseeing recruitment at all levels, and is pleased to work with a manager in Darren Ferguson who has a reputation for giving young players a chance.
He added: "The gaffer is building the club from top to bottom. If he feels the young players are ready he's not afraid to play them. There seems a good balance of young and experienced players in the group. Hopefully we can make one or two quality additions in January and build up the recruitment side in the Academy as well. It's a role that really excites me.
“I've been very impressed with the gaffer and his staff. They are very professional people with a strong work ethic that rubs off on the players. I'm sure I can add value to help Darren and the club achieve its goals."