Graham Alexander: Scunthorpe appoint ex-Fleetwood boss as manager

Graham Alexander played over 1,000 games in professional football

Scunthorpe United have appointed former Fleetwood boss Graham Alexander as their new manager.

The 44-year-old started his playing career with the Iron and has agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the League One club.

Nick Daws, who had previously been placed in charge until the end of the season, will be Alexander's assistant.

His first game in charge of the 13th placed side will be Good Friday's trip to Barnsley.

"I'm an ambitious guy, I want to win things. The guys in charge at the club are exactly the same and I'm sure we'll do great things here," Alexander told the club website.

"There are a lot of good players in this squad without a doubt. For whatever reason it hasn't fulfilled its potential this season, but that's my remit - to come and assess, and try to improve it.

"Any manager when he comes into a new club has to look at where he needs to put his stamp on things, and get the players to enjoy their football and play as well as they can."

The former Scotland international guided Fleetwood to League One in 2014, but was sacked last September after a poor start to the season.

He will be the third person to take charge of the team this season after Mark Robins was sacked in January following a 5-0 defeat at struggling Blackpool.

Iron chairman Peter Swann added: "Over the last couple of weeks we've felt it quite important that, if we were to have a manager in place, now would be a good time.

"It made a lot of sense. We have nine games remaining this season and we'll do whatever can be done within that, but it will give him a chance to get organised for the summer, target any new players and plan what we need to do for pre-season training."

Alexander made his debut for Scunthorpe in April 1991