FORMER Forest Green Rovers boss Dave Hockaday has been appointed Harriers' head coach.

The new man will be in charge for Saturday's Vanarama National League clash at Macclesfield (12.30m ko).

Chairman Rod Brown said:  “As a Board we were presented with the challenge of finding someone with a proven track record of developing young players and nurturing talent – in that sense we are wholly confident that we have the right man. 

“Dave has an enviable reputation as a coach within the game and we are very fortunate to be in a position to bring him into the club at the time when our squad really needs a lift. 

“He understands the size of the challenge here and, more importantly, what we are trying to achieve as a wider picture and the fact that he’s so excited to get started here speaks volumes.”

Hockaday launched the Cirencester Football Academy in 1996 and then joined Watford as under-18s coach.

After spells at Leicester, Milton Keynes and Southampton, he joined Forest Green as manager in 2009.

He led Forest Green to the third round of the FA Cup but the club were relegated in his first season, fortunatey they had a reprieve when Salisbury were demoted from the Football Conference.

With new chairman Dale Vince backing the Gloucestershire club, he guided them to two tenth place finishes.

However, he left the club in October 2013 after a poor start to the season.

Hockaday was then surprisingly named head coach at Championship side Leeds but the Yorkshire club's unpredictable Italian owner Massimo Cellino removed him after 70 days.

Since then he was involved with Swindon Supermarine and was caretaker boss at Coventry City.