Richie Wellens has been appointed Oldham Athletic manager after a successful spell as interim boss.
The 37-year-old transformed the fortunes of the club in his five matches in charge to earn a two-year contract.
Wellens, who had a coaching role at the club, took over a team that had picked up only four points from its first nine matches in Sky Bet League One.
But in his four league games, Latics collected 10 points to climb out of the bottom four. There was also a Checkatrade Trophy win at Crewe.
Wellens had been told by chairman/owner Simon Corney that he was a rank outsider as he was looking for an experienced manager.
But Wellens won over Latics’ chief who had interviewed footballing legends Clarence Seedorf and Paul Scholes for the post.
Wellens, in a playing career spanning 698 games and 48 goals, had played for Sir Alex Ferguson along with Sven-Goran Eriksson, Paolo Dousa and Nigel Pearson at Leicester City.
And on taking up the post, Wellens revealed Sir Alex and Pearson had given him advice.
In his playing career, Wellens had a spell with Latics and in chronological order he played for Manchester United, Blackpool, Latics, Doncaster, Leicester and back to Doncaster before finishing with Shrewsbury, though he later had brief spells at Salford City and Macclesfield Town.