Alex Neil has brought in experienced former West Brom boss Alan Irvine to replace Gary Holt as his first team coach at Norwich City.

The 57-year-old left Blackburn Rovers last week where he had worked with ex-City manager Paul Lambert at Ewood Park before the summer arrival of Owen Coyle.

Irvine will make a swift return to Rovers for Norwich's opening Championship game on August 6 and Neil views the ex-Newcastle and Everton coach as an invaluable addition to his backroom team.

'Alan has worked with some top managers in his time, as well as having been a manager himself,' he said. 'He will bring a wealth of experience gained over the course of his career. It adds to us as a coaching team because he's had real success at clubs.

'In terms of what we've got we're now more diverse. He's got a great reputation but also has the willingness and drive to be here, which is great.'

Irvine has also managed at Preston, where he led them to the Championship play-offs, and Sheffield Wednesday before a brief six-month spell in charge of the Baggies in the top flight.

'The most important thing is that I come in and make a contribution, and that's what I'm looking to do,' he told the club's official site. 'I believe the squad and management team that's here has every chance of getting promotion. I've worked with quite a few of the players in the past and I'm really looking forward to doing that again.

'Up until recently I was working with Paul Lambert, and he always spoke very highly of the club. Everyone from a distance has been really positive about the place and he really reinforced that.'

Irivne joins assistant boss Frankie McAvoy and goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely as part of Neil's coaching team at Carrow Road.