Birmingham add Wigan's Huddlestone to backroom team

Tom Huddlestone was on the Manchester United staff as player-coach to their U21s until retiring and joining Wigan in early July

Birmingham City have appointed Wigan Athletic coach Tom Huddlestone as a new assistant coach to boss Chris Davies.

The 37-year-old former Derby County, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolves, Hull City and England midfielder moves on from Wigan, barely two months after arriving.

He succeeds Ashley Cole, who this week took up a full-time role with England, working under the interim England manager, boyhood Blues fan and former caretaker boss Lee Carsley.

Huddlestone will work alongside manager Davies, assistant manager Ben Petty and first-team assistant manager Nathan Gardiner.

“Tom is an excellent coach and a great addition to our first-team staff as we look to build on our start to the 2024-25 season," said Davies.

Birmingham sit second in League One, level on points with leaders Wrexham but having played a game less, ahead of Saturday's trip to Rotherham United.

"He has vast playing experience, which has been added to by coaching roles with both club and international teams. This will provide a different dynamic to the group and I expect the squad to feed off his knowledge."

Huddlestone ended his playing days after a 600-plus game career this summer, when he left his player-coach role wirh Manchester United’s Under-21s to join Wigan.

While at Tottenham, he won 30 England Under-21 caps before making the first of four full international appearances in 2009.

He has also worked with England's Under-20s and is also currently attached to the Under-21s, having been part of the set-up during the international break.