Who is Tony Grant? The former Everton star that Liverpool and Leeds United legend Robbie Fowler wants as his Bristol Rovers assistant
"He's absolute class"
David Byrom
Robbie Fowler has revealed the man he would want as his assistant manager at Bristol Rovers.
The former Liverpool and Leeds United striker confirmed his interest in the Gas job on Soccer AM on Saturday, and also revealed who he would have as his second in command.
As with any manager who does not have a wealth of experience, who Fowler picks as his assistant would be crucial as to whether he would succeed in charge of the Gas.
So, who did Fowler name?
Tony Grant in action for Everton (Image: Getty)
The 43-year-old said: "My number two would be a lad I played with years ago and was on the coaching badges with him.
"He's a lad called Tony Grant - he played for Everton, Man City, he was coaching at Blackburn.
"He's absolute class."
Liverpool-born Grant came through the youth system at the Toffees and made his debut in December 1993.
The midfielder made 94 appearances for the Goodison Park club, scoring just twice, before he moved to Manchester City in December 1999 for a fee of £450,000.
After one year at Man City, he was sent out on loan to West Bromwich Albion before joining Burnley in 2001 for a fee of £250,000.
It was at the Clarets where Grant had the most success in his career, making 141 appearances in four years and scoring three goals before being released in 2005 after turning down a new contract.
A short spell at Bristol City followed, in which he made just on appearance - a 4-2 defeat to Barnet in the League Cup - before he returned north in January 2006 to join Crewe Alexandra.
Grant ended his playiong career with spells at Accrington Stanley as player-coach and Chester City.
Robbie Fowler (Image: Getty)
After hanging up his boots, Grant was appointed a youth coach at Blackburn Rovers, helping them to the FA Youth Cup final and Premier League final.
He then became first-team coach at Rovers in 2012, winning praise from Jason Lowe, who scored the winner in a November 2013 game against Middlesbrough.
"I'll remember that for a very long time – my first one for the club," said Lowe to the Lancashire Telegraph.
"I would have taken one off the back of my head, my heel, anything! But to see it fly in like that was a great feeling.
"I've been knocking on the door a little bit in recent games so I'm just over the moon it has finally come.
"I've been working very hard with Tony Grant on the training field.
"He helps me out a lot to be honest with you and he deserves a lot of credit.
"It's about making decisions in and around the box and making sure you hit it cleanly. If you hit the target you've got half a chance and it flew in."
Aldershot Town boss Gary Waddock opens up over Bristol Rovers speculation
Grant departed Ewood Park alongside Gary Bowyer, another man who has been linked to the Gas job, in 2015 after a poor start to the season.
He returned to his boyhood club Everton as a scout, but explained to the Liverpool Echo that a move into coaching was a natural step for him.
"Subconsciously I was always coaching in my mind years ago, even when I was playing. I was a coach on the pitch before I became a coach actually," he said.
"I have always been a thinker of football and passionate about the game, so the step into coaching came naturally."
Grant was linked with the managerial vacancy at Tranmere Rovers following Gary Brabin's sacking in 2016, but the job instead went to Micky Mellon.