Darren Moore leaves Doncaster to take over as Sheffield Wednesday manager

Darren Moore has left League One side Doncaster Rovers to become the new manager of Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Darren Moore as our new first-team manager,” read a statement on Wednesday’s official website. “Moore joins the Owls with immediate effect and will be in charge for Wednesday night’s Championship clash with Rotherham at Hillsborough.

The 46-year-old becomes the club’s third permanent manager this season. Neil Thompson has been in interim charge at Hillsborough since December after Tony Pulis lasted only seven weeks having replaced Garry Monk.

Moore had been in charge of Rovers since July 2019, and leaves a club challenging for promotion for a side who sit second bottom of the Championship, six points from safety having lost their last four games. Moore’s assistant at the Keepmoat Stadium, Jamie Smith, has also left the club.

Doncaster expressed their disappointment at Moore’s decision in an official statement, while also confirming that defender Andy Butler has been put in temporary charge. “We are disappointed that Darren has chosen to leave the club part way through what has been a season full of promise,” said the club’s chairman, David Blunt.

“We have made significant efforts to support Darren over the past 18 months and ensure he was able to build a team capable of challenging in the top six,” Blunt continued. “This has included supporting him through the past two transfer windows despite the difficult financial circumstances.”

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“Our ambitions remain to achieve a top-six finish and we hope and expect that Andy will use this time to put himself in the prime position to secure the role on a permanent basis at the end of the season. Andy’s first priority will be to halt the team’s recent run of poor form and put our season back on track.”

After a playing career with spells at West Brom, Derby and Portsmouth among others, Moore became caretaker manager at the Hawthorns in 2018. He could not keep the Baggies in the Premier League but improved form earned him the permanent job. Moore was sacked in April 2019 with West Brom in the Championship play-off places, and joined Doncaster three months later.

source: theguardian.com