Ex-Bolton Wanderers defender and Hull City boss Phil Brown appointed manager at League Two side

Former Bolton Wanderers defender and assistant boss Phil Brown is back in management after being appointed at League Two side Barrow.

The 62-year-old has taken over at Holker Street until the end of the season after Mark Cooper left the Bluebirds following the loss to Cumbrian rivals Carlisle United.

Brown was last in management at Southend United, whom he left last year for the second time.

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He will be assisted at Barrow, current Wanderers boss Ian Evatt's old club, by Neil McDonald.

The right-back played more than 250 times for Wanderers between 1988 and 1994, later also becoming assistant boss to Colin Todd and being caretaker at the Reebok Stadium after Todd left the club.

Brown was also later the assistant to Sam Allardyce at the Whites.

A Barrow club statement read: "The Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Phil Brown as First Team Manager on a contract until the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

"Brown will be assisted by Neil McDonald, who returns to The Dunes Hotel Stadium after playing a key role in our EFL survival last season during a spell working alongside Rob Kelly.

"Having managed over 500 games across all four divisions in England, Brown arrives with a wealth of experience to call upon during The Bluebirds’ League Two run-in.

"A defender in his playing days, the South Shields born Brown made over 600 league appearances during a career which saw him represent Hartlepool United, Halifax Town, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool.

"He served as assistant to Sam Allardyce at both Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers before stepping up to management himself for the first time in the summer of 2005 when he was