Yorkshire's cricketers will be encouraged to go to the bar in a bid to secure an immediate return to the top tier of the LV= County Championship in 2012.

The White Rose county's hierarchy have unveiled a new coaching team led by first-team coach Jason Gillespie, a member of the all-conquering Australian Test side between 1996 and 2006.

A big part of the success of Ricky Ponting's side was building team spirit and chewing the fat over a pint after a day's play or at the end of a match.

And that was an approach that ex-fast bowler Gillespie advocated when he was the Headingley overseas player in 2006 and 2007.

"Jason is the ultimate professional, and he had an aura about him," said skipper Andrew Gale.

"He just loved to talk about cricket. When you're in a professional atmosphere, you can sometimes get away from the ground and nobody wants to talk about it if you know what I mean.

"But he would encourage the lads to go to the bar and talk about cricket because he believes that's where you learn your stuff. He's played in one of the best teams the world's ever seen, so I'm sure he'll be good for us.

"He's got a winning mentality. I'm sure he believes that anything he does in cricket, he will be successful at. I remember him saying when he was here that he played for Australia at 21/22 yet he'd only played a handful of first-class games.

"If you look at his record, he was playing for the best team in the world for the best part of ten years. I'd imagine that he doesn't really know how to lose.

"I had a great relationship with Dizzy when he was at the club. He's a good bloke to have around.

"I'm sure the players will have the ultimate respect for him when he comes in. He'll have the chance to make his mark on Yorkshire as a coach, not just as a player like he did when he was here last.

"To have a bit of that positive Australian culture around the club in Jason and Phil (Jaques) is a good move. I want the players to have the freedom to go out and enjoy themselves, and I think these two will help to bring that."

With all the focus on the new appointments - Gillespie, Paul Farbrace and Richard Damms - there has been little time to concentrate on the quartet of coaches who have left.

Craig White, Steve Oldham, Kevin Sharp and John Blain have almost been part of the furniture at Headingley down the years, but all either took redundancy or were unsuccessful in reapplying for their old jobs.

Director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon added: "I'm obviously friends with all of those guys. So, from a personal point of view, it's been a really tough time. We needed to make the changes, it had to be done, and you have to make professional judgments.

"I want to thank them for the work and help they have put in. We wish them all well for the future."

Gillespie takes up his new role in time for a pre-season tour of Barbados in mid-March. He will, however, spend a week with the squad at Headingley next month.