Kidd given Academy position

His brief will be to coach both the talented youngsters coming through Platt Lane and also head up the in-service training of the staff.

City's football administration officer Brian Marwood said: "Brian has vast experience at both club and international level.

"He will help maintain the excellent development programme we have in place at the academy," stressed Marwood.

"He was much in demand when it became clear he wasn't going to stay at Portsmouth and we are delighted that Brian has chosen to come and work with us."

There is no doubt that Kidd has a proven track record as a coach, with experience at a variety of set ups at club and international level, and is far more suited to that role than as a manager.

Despite the riches available to the club, a constant message that has come out from those in command has been the continued importance of the Academy set up to the club.

There have however been a number of changes to the personnel and structure of the Academy the past few months, importantly with Jim Cassell taking on a new role.