Bristol Rovers remove director of football role as Joey Barton takes full responsibility for playing side

Outgoing director of football Tommy Widdrington took charge of Rovers on a caretaker basis before Joey Barton's appointment

Bristol Rovers have removed the role of director of football, with manager Joey Barton taking on full responsibility for the playing side of the club.

Tommy Widdrington, who was director of football, will remain a club director and will be in charge of loan deals.

The club has said he will also ensure "the strategic vision of the first-team" is replicated at youth levels.

Rovers were relegated to League Two last season, with Barton taking control in late February.

"As a result of our relegation and the position we currently find ourselves in, Joey and his team are now fully in charge of the recruitment process," Rovers president Wael Al Qadi told the club website.

"Tommy will remain on the club's board and will be in charge of creating a loan department, that will be tasked with establishing relationships with other clubs.

"Tommy will also be responsible for mirroring the first-team philosophy, that will be set by the first-team manager, across the academy structure."

Barton was the third person to be in charge at Rovers last season after they began the campaign with Ben Garner at the helm before replacing him with former Exeter City and MK Dons boss Paul Tisdale.

The former Manchester City and England midfielder was critical of the squad he inherited from his predecessors, saying they had "gone down with a whimper".

The move comes almost a month after first-team coach Jack Mesure, goalkeeping coach David Coles and development squad manager Lee Mansell all left the club, along with the heads of the club's medical and sports science departments.