Mark Cooper has been named as the new Yeovil Town manager just hours after the departure of Chris Hargreaves from the Huish Park hot-seat.
The 53-year-old was confirmed on Friday morning having been at the club on Thursday following the announcement of Hargreaves’ sacking this morning.
He has joined on a two-and-a-half year contract.
In a statement, Cooper said: “It’s good to be here. I already know a few of the players and staff so I’m excited and really looking forward to it.
“If you look historically, this can be a big club. We need to unite; the players, the supporters. Everybody needs to come together and that can play such a big part.”
Chairman Scott Priestnall added: “I’m delighted to welcome Mark to the Club, he is a manager I have admired for a long time.
“Mark has the promotion credentials we are looking for, with a strong background at this level and above.
“I’m pleased to get the deal done swiftly so Mark can get straight to work.”
No details have been given as to the situation with regards to Chris Todd, who was Hargreaves’ assistant, and Marcus Stewart, Head of Player Development, who joined at the same time as Hargreaves.
Cooper was in the stands for the Glovers’ 2-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic last weekend and, since that result a a 2-0 loss at home to Aldershot Town spelled the end of Hargreaves’ 15-match time as manager.
Cooper’s last managerial job saw him leave League Two Barrow by mutual consent in March with the Cumbrian side in the division’s relegation places.
During that spell, he was given an eight-match touchline ban having been found guilty by an independent FA panel of using “abusive and/or insulting words” towards a female assistant referee which “included a reference, whether express or implied, to gender.” Cooper denied the allegations but a panel later found them to be proven and imposed the ban.
By our maths, Cooper served six matches of his ban which could mean he is not available to make it in to the dug out for the Glovers’ match at Maidstone United, who share the National League’s bottom four with them, on Saturday.
However, there is plenty of managerial success on Cooper’s CV having guided Forest Green Rovers to the National League in 2017 and been in charge at Swindon Town when they reached the League One play-off finals in 2015.
As a player he turned out more than 100 times for Exeter City over two spells having started his career in the academy at Bristol City. His father, Terry, who played for England in the 1970 World Cup, managed both Bristol clubs in the 1980s.