Bristol City appoint Dean Holden as new head coach with England youth coaches to join setup

Bristol City have appointed Dean Holden as their new head coach.

Holden, who was assistant to former City head coach Lee Johnson, was offered the position and had been considering the proposal over the weekend.

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"I am absolutely delighted, this is a big moment for me in my career. A proud moment for the family. I am very grateful to the board for giving me the opportunity to lead this club into its next chapter," Holden told Sky Sports News.

"It's a coveted job in football, we have a world-class training facility on its way, fantastic loyal ownership. I'm pleased the club cast their net wide and spoke to people, because I was always under their nose. I feel ready.

"I would say to the supporters 'we need you'. I'm pleased I'm taking over a club with hugely passionate fanbase. This football club doing well on a Saturday or a Tuesday means everything to our supporters, and I can relate to that. I know what they want.

"Ultimately it's my job to put a team out on the pitch they they can relate to and have pride in."

England U19s and U20s managers, Paul Simpson and Keith Downing, have both left their roles with the FA with immediate effect, to become joint assistant head coaches under new boss Holden.

The pair were amongst the most successful in the history of England's junior age groups. Simpson won the U20 World Cup In South Korea three years ago, whilst Downing oversaw England's U19s winning the European Championships in the same summer.

"I'm delighted," Holden said when asked about his assistants. "Once they arrived at the training ground, it was a case of locking the gate until they sign the contract.

"Two fantastic coaches with great experience and recent success with the FA. They are coveted within the game and it means a lot to me and the football club that they've chosen here to take their next step."

Junior age group coaches at St George's Park have been told their jobs are at risk, as the FA looks to make huge savings to cover the £300m black hole in revenues brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Johnson was sacked after a 1-0 defeat to Severnside rivals Cardiff in July, following a run of nine games without a victory. Holden was placed in temporary charge of the Robins while the Sky Bet Championship club searched for a new manager.

Holden has previously taken first-team charge of five games for City and also enjoyed a spell of 15 matches managing former club Oldham Athletic from February to May 2015, where he took over from Johnson at Boundary Park at the time.

Johnson guided his team to 17th, 11th and eighth in the previous three Championship seasons, but after challenging for the play-off positions earlier in the 2019/20 campaign, City recorded a 12th-placed finish.

Sky Sports News has reported that former Brighton and Newcastle boss Chris Hughton held talks with City over the vacant position at the club.

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