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Blackburn Rovers announce Ince as Hughes' successor

22/06/2008

Blackburn Rovers have named Paul Ince as their new manager.

The ex-England midfielder has signed a three-year deal at Ewood Park to replace Mark Hughes, who left to become Manchester City's new boss.

Ince becomes the first black British manager in the Premier League and will be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.

The 40-year-old has the support of the League Managers' Association despite not holding the right coaching qualifications to manage a top-flight club.

Ince attracted the interest of Rovers after an impressive start to the his managerial career in the lower leagues.

After a spell as player-coach at Swindon Town, Ince was named manager of Macclesfield Town in 2006.

When he joined Macclesfield were seven points adrift off at the bottom of League Two, but Ince guided the club to survival on the last day of the season.

The ex-Manchester United star then became manager of Milton Keynes Dons a year ago. The MK Dons won the Football League Trophy and secured automatic promotion to League One last season.

Ince beat off competition from Sam Allardyce, Michael Laudrup to take up the Rovers post.

The former Liverpool midfielder was linked with the managerial jobs at Wigan Athletic and Derby County.