Mark Cooper: Barrow appoint former Forest Green manager

Mark Cooper is Barrow's fourth permanent manager in under a year

Barrow have appointed former Forest Green boss Mark Cooper as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The 52-year-old was sacked by Rovers in April after five years in charge.

The Bluebirds avoided relegation back to the National League in 2020-21 in a season where they sacked both David Dunn and Michael Jolley as manager.

"The board and the owners have done everything they could to try and get me; they made it clear that they wanted me," he told the club website.

Rob Kelly ended the season in caretaker charge and guided them clear of the relegation places after Jolley was sacked in February after just two wins from his eight game.

However, the former assistant, who also had a brief spell in charge when Dunn was sacked, told the club he did not want the job on a full-time basis earlier this month.

Ian Evatt led the Holker Street side back to the Football League in 2020 after a 48-year absence but left to take over at Bolton in July last year.

Replacement Dunn was sacked in December after a run of nine games without a win and his replacement Jolley fared little better.

"As soon as we knew of his interest, we ensured that we pulled out all the stops to bring him to the club," chairman Paul Hornby said.

"Mark's experience was just what we were looking for in this league. It really feels like a huge step that Mark considers Barrow can match his own ambitions for success and it shows how far we've come and that we're moving in the right direction."

Cooper, who will be assisted by Richard Dryden, led Forest Green to promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history in 2016-17 and has also had spells in the Football League with Peterborough and Swindon.