BLACKBURN Rovers are pleased to announce the appointment of Iain Brunskill as the club's new Reserve team manager.

The 31-year-old joins Paul Ince's backroom staff from Liverpool where he was the Academy coach for all age groups and a former colleague of Rovers' assistant first team coach Karl Robinson and chief scout Barry Whitehead.

"I was at Liverpool for 12 years as a coach at the Academy covering all age groups from the very young ones all the way up to the under 19s, so it has been a long period of apprenticeship," said Brunskill.

"I know Paul Ince through his son being at Liverpool, and of course Karl Robinson who was at Liverpool before he went to MK Dons as well Barry Whitbread the Chief Scout."

Brunskill is tasked with bringing through the talent from the Academy into the Reserves at the Senior Training Centre and ultimately producing players that are good enough to be involved in Paul Ince's first team squad.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for me from a personal point of view, it is something that I'm keen to get my teeth into," added the Reserve team boss.

"A massive part of what I'll be doing is liasing with Gary Bowyer the under 18s coach. I want a close relationship with the guys at the Academy so that we have the ultimate goal of the first team squad having an element of youth to supplement the top class players already at the club."

As a footballer, Brunskill came through the ranks at Liverpool, being a pro for three years with the Reserves before moving onto Bury. He spent a season with the Shakers before a spell with a couple of non-league clubs followed until former Liverpool Academy boss Steve Heighway asked him to re-join Liverpool a coach.