Blackburn Rovers have appointed Phil Cannon as the club's new Academy Manager.

Phil brings a wealth of experience in youth football, particularly in the crucial area of recruitment, to the role and will take up his position on Monday.

He has worked within youth football at top level for many years, most notably during a seven-year spell as Head of Academy Recruitment at Everton.

"I see this as an exciting and challenging opportunity," said Phil, who has also worked at Swindon Town and Derby County. "My background is totally dedicated to the identification, recruitment and development of young footballers which I believe is the clear way forward for all Premier Legue clubs."

Rovers' Chairman John Williams said: "The role of Academy Manager is absolutely crucial and we believe we have made a very good appointment. Sam Allardyce was closely involved in the selection process and we all felt that Phil had precisely the background and experience we were seeking, particularly in light of the new home-grown player ruling.

"His understanding of youth football, especially in terms of recruitment, was key, along with his knowledge of this geographic region. It is fair to say that he beat off a very strong field for this position at Rovers."

Phil, 52, who lives on Merseyside and has worked with the likes of Roy Evans, Steve McMahon, Walter Smith and David Moyes, holds both the UEFA 'A' and 'B' coaching badges.

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