Mike Phelan will return to Norwich City on Wednesday to join manager Neil Adams' backroom team as first-team coach.

The 52-year-old former assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United will join the Canaries to work under manager Adams and alongside current first-team coach Gary Holt.

City Hall of Fame member Phelan replaces Mark Robson, who was sacked from his role at the beginning of the international break following City's heartbreaking late defeat at Nottingham Forest.

'I am delighted to have the opportunity to return to Carrow Road,' said Phelan, who captained and made almost 200 appearances for the club between 1985 and 1989.

'I have many fond memories and am looking forward to helping Neil and the team to progress and ultimately getting back into the Premier League where they deserve to be.'

Adams added: 'It's really important that we replaced Mark Robson with the best possible coach we could find and I decided Mike was the outstanding choice.

'I'm delighted to bring in someone with Mike's experience to work with myself, Gary Holt and the rest of the coaching staff.

'He's someone who has a strong connection with Norwich City and I know him well, having worked with him before when I was a player and he was coaching here.

'In terms of the quality and the experience that Mike will bring, there are few better. It's a great coup for us. He's really keen to come in.'

Phelan was also assistant manager to Gary Megson and reserves manager at City in 1995, during Adams' own spell as a player at the club.

Megson's sacking saw Phelan follow his old manager to Blackpool and Stockport, before he joined Manchester United's academy set-up in 1999.

From there, he was appointed Ferguson's assistant in 2008 until the Scot's retirement in the summer 2013 – where there was always a steady stream of domestic and European accolades.

During Phelan's playing days at Norwich, the club won the second division title in 1986 before registering fourth and fifth top-flight finishes under Dave Stringer.

• What do you make of Mike Phelan's appointment? Leave your views below…

• Follow Michael Bailey on Twitter @michaeljbailey