FORMER Watford and Southampton coach Dave Hockaday has today been named the new Forest Green manager.

The 51-year-old pipped former Forest Green assistant manager Jerry Gill and Steve Thompson, who has managed Yeovil Town on three occasions. Former Chester City and Peterborough United boss Mark Wright was also rumoured to have held talks with the Nailsworth strugglers on Sunday.

Player-coach David Brown has been in temporary charge of the team since July, when Jim Harvey was sacked for a breach of contract.. Brown is understood to have applied for the permanent position himself Hockaday made over 650 appearances during his playing career with Blackpool, Swindon Town, Hull City, Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town, including five promotions with three as actual champions.

In 1995 he used his coaching skills to establish the Cirencester Football Academy, which turned out to be the forerunner of many similar schemes in the country and as a result was headed hunted by Graham Taylor in 2000 to take over the academy at Watford, where during his time he developed the talent of Ashley Young , the now Aston Villa and England winger His time culminated in assisting the club to promotion to the Premiership in 2006.

In 2007 he had a brief spell with MK Dons, under the now Cheltenham Town manager Martin Allen before joining Southampton in the Championship.

Hockaday said: "I am extremely proud and excited to have been chosen by the club as their new manager.

"I have already watched the first team seven times and have a good knowledge of the whole squad. I have a proven track record of working with and producing young players. I know I am joining a club who have a great set up and I share the long term aspirations of the club.

"I am positive that with the qualities at the club that with hard work we can quickly turn our situation around. It would be great if we could get as many people as possible to the New Lawn on Saturday to show their support for the club and the squad and get our first three points on the board."

Have your say on the Hockaday appointment in the box below.