Head coach John Eustace has left Championship promotion chasers Blackburn Rovers to take over as boss of relegation-threatened Derby County on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
Eustace was absent from Blackburn’s win at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday, which lifted Rovers up to fifth in the table – 19 points and 16 places above Derby.
His first game in charge of the Pride Park side, with whom he had two spells as a player, will be Friday’s trip to Queens Park Rangers.
It was late on Monday when Blackburn “reluctantly” gave Eustace permission to begin talks with their lowly Championship rivals, who sacked Paul Warne on Friday.
Despite meeting with Derby officials on Tuesday, Eustace was not spotted at Pride Park later that day as the Rams shared the points with Oxford United in an uneventful draw that lifted them out of the relegation places on goals scored.
Assistant head coach Matt Gardiner and first-team coach Keith Downing also leave Blackburn to join Eustace at Derby.
