COVENTRY City have appointed Dean Austin as the club’s new Head of Recruitment ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
Austin’s appointment comes following the departure of former transfer chief Chris Badlan to Championship rivals Blackpool.
The 52-year-old has joined the Sky Blues with immediate effect and will spearhead the club’s future transfer activities and has previously held playing, coaching, analysis and administration roles over a 35-year period.
Austin holds a UEFA Pro Licence and LMA Diploma in Sports Management, and is also undertaking the FA Technical Director Level 5 award, as well as working with many famed managers during his career.
Sky Blues manager Mark Robins said: “We are delighted to welcome Dean to Coventry City.
“Dean brings a wealth of experience across football to the Club in what will be an important role for us both in the short-term, looking to the January transfer window, and longer-term as we look to continue the development of our Football Club and team, as we have done over the last few years.
“The recruitment of players and having the right processes in place to do so is very important, and we look forward to working closely with Dean in this area.”
Austin notably featured for Southend United, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace during his playing days which included winning back-to-back promotions with the Shrimpers.
Since retiring, Austin has held non-playing roles at several clubs and helped former side Southend earn promotion from League Two to the Championship as Head of Recruitment and coach.
He then became assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Watford and moved with the Northern Irishman to Reading before returning to Crystal Palace as first-team coach and under-21’s manager.
Austin rejoined Watford and was part of the coaching team that helped Watford achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
He then took up an assistant coach role at Northampton Town in 2017 before becoming manager in April 2018 before departing in September later that same year.
Austin made the move back to Watford in September 2019 as assistant to Quique Sánchez Flores and left when the Spaniard was dismissed in December that same year.
He returned to hometown club St Albans City as Director of Football in July 2021 and remained with the club until taking up his new post at the Sky Blues.
