Barnsley FC reunion at League Two club as ex-Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town man joins as assistant
Former Barnsley coach Jon Stead has been reunited with his former Reds colleague Darrell Clarke at Bristol Rovers.
Stead acted as Clarke’s assistant during his Barnsley tenure, having previously formed part of Neill Collins’ team at Oakwell.
However, Stead left at the end of the 2024/25 season to allow Clarke’s successor Conor Hourihane to assemble his own coaching set-up.
Stead has now been reunited with Clarke, who started his second spell as Bristol Rovers boss in May.
New assistants at Bristol Rovers
Rhys Carr has also been recruited as an assistant head coach, having last worked alongside Mark Robins at Coventry City.
Bristol Rovers’ director of football Ricky Martin said: "We're delighted to welcome Jon and Rhys to the club, with both arriving with a vast amount of high-level coaching experience within the industry.
"Work at the training ground has not stopped since the end of the season, with everyone working tirelessly to ensure the club starts pre-season positively. The appointment of two assistant coaches of such quality is another step in this process."
The pair have been tasked with aiding Clarke start the rebuilding process at the Memorial Stadium, as the 2024/25 season ended in relegation to the fourth tier.
Jon Stead’s Yorkshire history
Stead is a familiar face across Yorkshire, having represented an array of the county’s clubs during his playing days.
Formerly an imposing frontman, Stead scored 14 goals in 77 appearances across two spells at Huddersfield Town.
He also amassed 47 appearances in the colours of Sheffield United, 48 for Bradford City and 53 for Harrogate Town.
A former England under-21 international, Stead also plied his trade with the likes of Sunderland, Derby County and Ipswich Town.
After leaving his coaching role at Barnsley, he said: "I would like to thank Barnsley FC for the last two years.
“I would like to publicly express my gratitude to the staff, players and supporters and wish everyone involved with Barnsley FC success moving forward but I am now excited to explore new opportunities."