SUNDERLAND have confirmed the appointment of Mark Venus as their new assistant head coach.

Venus moves to the Stadium of Light following the departure of Martin Canning and links up with long-term counterpart Tony Mowbray.

The Hartlepool-born 55-year-old enjoyed a playing career that spanned 19 years and featured spells with Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town.

He has supported Mowbray throughout the Teessider's managerial career, working as his number two at Hibernian, West Bromwich Albion, Celtic and Middlesbrough and as a technical director at Coventry City.

The duo also spent five years together at Ewood Park, guiding Blackburn Rovers from League One to eighth position in the second tier.

Venus will be alongside Mowbray in the dug-out tomorrow when Sunderland travel to the Riverside to take on Middlesbrough in the Tees-Wear derby.