Darren Moore: Doncaster Rovers name former West Brom boss as manager

Darren Moore was in his first managerial role at West Bromwich Albion

Doncaster Rovers have appointed former West Brom boss Darren Moore as the new manager of the League One club.

Moore has been out of work since being sacked by the Baggies in March, when they were fourth in the Championship.

The former Doncaster centre-back replaces Grant McCann, who left Rovers for Hull City in May after a year in charge at the Keepmoat Stadium.

"Having been here before as a player, to be back as the manager is an honour for me," Moore told the club website.

Rovers finished sixth in the third tier last season, before losing to Charlton Athletic in the play-off semi-finals.

Moore becomes only the sixth black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) manager in the top four tiers of English football, along with Nuno Espirito Santo (Wolves), Sol Campbell (Macclesfield), Keith Curle (Northampton), Dino Maamria (Stevenage) and new Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi.

In June, the English Football League made it policy that clubs must interview at least one BAME candidate when searching for a new first-team manager.

Darren Moore had his old Doncaster team-mate Graeme Jones as number two at West Brom - but Jones has now been appointed the new manager of promoted Championship side Luton Town

Moore, 45, played 84 times for Doncaster between 1995-97, in the early stages of his career, before later having spells with Bradford City, Portsmouth, West Brom, Derby, Barnsley and Burton Albion.

He initially took charge at West Brom in a caretaker capacity following the dismissal of Alan Pardew in April 2018, almost pulling off a miraculous escape from the drop.

Moore was then given the head coach's job on a more permanent basis following the club's relegation from the Premier League.

Doncaster chief executive Gavin Baldwin said: "His values match ours.

"I'm sure our supporters join the owners and myself in giving him a warm welcome and wishing him well at the club."

Rovers begin the 2019-20 campaign with a home game against Gillingham on Saturday, 3 August.

Analysis

Mike McCarthy, BBC Radio Sheffield

This is a big statement from Doncaster Rovers.

The departure of Grant McCann was a blow given how agonisingly close Rovers came to the play-off final last season.

After leaving West Brom, Darren Moore must have been in with a decent shout of another job in the Championship.

So it says a lot about Rovers' direction of travel that Moore is the man who wanted the job and clearly impressed his new bosses.

Another tilt at promotion will surely be the aim.