Mickleover Sports assistant manager Paul Groves joins Harry Redknapp at Birmingham City

MICKLEOVER SPORTS assistant manager Paul Groves has walked into a Championship relegation scrap after joining Birmingham City.

The 51-year-old has been drafted into St Andrew’s by Harry Redknapp, who took over the struggling Blues this week following the resignation of Gianfranco Zola.

Redknapp wasted little time in naming former Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill and Groves as his first team coaches as he looks to guide City away from the Championship relegation zone following Zola’s dire spell in charge.

Groves enjoyed a lengthy career as a professional, playing into his 40s and making over 700 appearances with half of them coming with Grimsby Town.

He went on to manage the Mariners for three years and also spent brief spells in charge of Portsmouth and Bournemouth before becoming academy manager at Bristol City and then joining Mickleover as assistant to John McGrath.

Instead of preparing for Mickleover’s final Evo-Stik NPL Premier game against Frickley Athletic on Saturday, he will be plotting Aston Villa’s downfall as Birmingham travel to their arch rivals on Sunday.

A brief Mickleover statement confirmed: “Our assistant manager Paul Groves has left the club to join Harry Redknapp’s coaching staff at Birmingham City.”