Gary Holt and Joe Royle to join Norwich City
Joe Royle (left) talks to Dave Stringer at Carrow Road during Norwich City's centenary celebrations. - Credit: ARCHANT LTD
Norwich City have confirmed that Gary Holt will return to the club as first-team coach, with former City player and Ipswich Town boss Joe Royle appointed as a 'football consultant'.
Joe Royle is awarded the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy by Geoffrey Watling at Carrow Road, Norwich, May 2 1981. Norwich played Leicester on this day. Picture: Archant library. - Credit: Archant
Holt and Royle are both former winners of the club's player of the season award and are among the first major announcements of the club's backroom staff since Neil Adams was confirmed as the club's permanent manager following relegation from the Premier League.
Gary Holt battles with Birmingham City's Stan Lazaridis during the 2002 Division One play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Picture: Archant library. - Credit: Archant
Royle was Adams' manager at Oldham Athletic between 1989 and 1994, when Adams moved to Carrow Road.
Mark Robson, pictured exchanging views with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during City's 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge at the end of last season, has been appointed as first-team coach at Norwich City. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Mark Robson, who assisted Adams for the final five games of last season following Chris Hughton's dismissal, has also been confirmed as a first-team coach.
'Mark (Robson) and Gary (Holt) are two people I've worked with closely and both will bring enthusiasm, hunger and experience to the coaching team. They have also played at the highest levels in this country,' Adams told Norwich City's official website.
'Joe is someone who I have played for at both Championship and Premier League level, and he has amassed a vast amount of knowledge during his time in the game.
'He has been there, seen it and done it so to speak, and has also been very successful during his time as both a player and a manager.'
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The trio's confirmation was also accompanied with further news of the club's plans to complete its 'football management board', which is currently made up of Adams and chief executive David McNally.
The statement concluded: 'The club plan to announce the new technical director shortly and are currently interviewing a number of candidates for the position of director of recruitment.'
Holt leaves his position as manager of Falkirk to take up the role of first-team coach at Carrow Road.
The 41-year-old previously assisted Adams in the management of the club's Under-18s, including winning the FA Youth Cup 13 months ago.
Player of the season in 2002 at Carrow Road, Holt made more than 160 playing appearances for Norwich during a four-year spell, in which he helped the Canaries to the second-tier play-off final in 2002 – and then the Division One title two years later.
The Scot figured in City's brief Premier League stay before departing for Nottingham Forest in 2005.
The statement said that former Everton and Manchester City striker Royle, now aged 65, 'will support and advise Adams' football management team' in his new role.
Royle went on to manage Oldham for 10 years, guiding the north-west club to the top flight, a League Cup final and two FA Cup semi-finals.
He went on to guide Everton to FA Cup glory in 1995 but resigned in 1997 and took over at Manchester City in 1998, guiding the club out of the third tier and back to the top flight.
But after relegation in 2001 Royle was sacked, before returning to management in November 2002 with Ipswich Town.
Royle managed to guide the Tractor Boys to the play-off in 2004 and 2005 but couldn't guide City's rivals back to the Premiership and left the club at the end of the 2006 season.
He has since worked in the media and made a brief return to Oldham as caretaker manager at the end of the 2008/09 season.
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