Rooney named Rovers manager

The former Worcester City boss has returned to the Victoria Ground to succeed Gary Hackett and Jon Ford, who were sacked at the end of the season, and he's looking forward to the challenge of returning to management.

Rooney, who spent nine years as Worcester's manager in two spells, had a brief stint in charge at Bromsgrove at the start of the 2000/01 season. He has recently been scouting for Aston Villa.

Rooney, a good friend of Rovers' chairman Tom Herbert, who was a director at Worcester during his time as manager, said: "I have missed the involvement with the players and the butterflies on a Saturday, What I have been doing recently has been very civilised."

He intends wasting no time in recruiting new players for another promotion challenge in the Dr Martens Western Division, the Greens having finished third last season after leading the table for most of the campaign.

"I know a lot of the existing players but obviously we do need to strengthen - it needs more goals for a start. I am hoping to make some significant signings over the next few weeks."

Rooney hasn't yet confirmed his backroom team but added: "We are going to have a reserve side next season and are hoping to bring people in to run it who are from the local community, and try and get as many young players through that as possible."

Herbert was delighted to have secured Rooney's appointment. He said: "George and I have worked together before and he brings a lot of experience to the club.

"There is a reason why we missed out last season and that is the reason why the previous managers have gone. We were top of the league for 20 weeks and no-one can understand how we blew it.

"With a new structure coming into place we have to get it right. Bromsgrove is a big club."

n Aston Villa's European Cup-winning captain Dennis Mortimer has urged the club to seek an experienced replacement for Graham Taylor.

But he does not want current chairman Doug Ellis to be the man to make the decision.