Middlesbrough have re-appointed former player Stephen Pears as the club's goalkeeping coach.

Pears, 48, made more than 400 appearances for the Teessiders in his 10 years at the club, and took up the post of goalkeeping coach in 2007.

He left the Riverside at the end of last season when Gordon Strachan brought in Jim Blyth to fill the role.

Mark Proctor has moved up to first-team coach with academy boss Dave Parnaby taking charge of the under-18s side.

Pears' return reunites the Brandon-born coach with former team-mate and now Boro manager Tony Mowbray.

He has produced some very decent goalkeepers here, one of whom is now at Chelsea and the other at Liverpool Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray

"I'm delighted to have Stephen back," Mowbray told the club website.

"He has produced some very decent goalkeepers here, one of whom is now at Chelsea and the other at Liverpool, and we've now got a young boy in the first team whose not doing too badly either.

"The proof of the pudding in Stephen's ability is the goalkeepers he has produced.

"I'm sure he'll be a big help for Jason Steele and for young Connor Ripley, who was on the bench on Saturday and has been very impressive in training."

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