Dean Austin has been appointed Coventry City’s new Head of Recruitment ahead of a pivotal January transfer window for the English Championship club.

The 52-year-old Football Careers client – who starred in England’s top flight for both Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace as a player – brings a wealth of experience to his new role.

Austin holds a UEFA Pro Licence and LMA Diploma in Sports Management and is also currently in the throes of aiming for his FA Technical Director Level 5 award. City boss Mark Robins stressed:

“Dean brings a wealth of experience across football to the club in what will be an important role for us. I mean that both in the short-term, looking to the January transfer window, and longer-term as we look to continue the development of our 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.”

When you examine Dean’s career, he now possesses a fascinating skillset with prior roles in playing, coaching, analysis and administration.

Austin moves to Coventry at an intriguing time after the departure of his predecessor Chris Badlan, who had moved to Blackpool as Sporting Director.

Chief Scout Stuart Benthom switched employers alongside Badlan but City boss Robins – waiting for a takeover by businessman Doug King being ratified by the EFL to bring a cash injection – insisted:

“We will reassess it now, a different person will bring some different ideas and I am willing to listen to them. Then we will attack the window when we know where we are.

“We’re still waiting on the takeover but things will become clearer as we move forward. This is a chance to freshen things up and always take the positives from it and then we can move forward and build again.”

Austin hit the heady heights of English Premiership stardom at Spurs and Palace but he never once forgot where it all started.

Before the City opportunity arose, he was immersed in his role as Director of Football at St Albans City in the National League South where it all began for him as a player.

As a coach, Dean earned that coveted UEFA Pro Licence and worked at the top level, learning from current Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers as his assistant at Watford.

Now a true football man faces his next challenge at a club standing on the brink of what promises to be an exciting new era.