McAllister back with Strachan

McAllister, a manager in his own right at Coventry and Leeds, will work alongside Strachan, assistant Garry Pendrey and new goalkeeping coach Jim Blyth.

He said: "We had a successful spell as players in the same team at Leeds and I worked under Gordon when he was manager at Coventry, and we have been friends a long while.

"I am really excited about coming here. Everything is in place here to get better.

"Gordon has been my boss before, but I respect him and his thoughts on the game.

"We had a good understanding as players – there were arguments and fights, but on the the ethos and the way the game is played and the enthusiasm for the game, we are quite similar."

Defender Chris Riggott will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of next month.

The injury-plagued 29-year-old, who arrived on Teesside from Derby in January 2003, has decided to look for a fresh challenge..

"Chris is now going to move on," said Strachan. "He wants to change his whole life, really, in terms of club and the area he lives in.

"He's had a rough time with injuries and understands he needs to go and play regularly, and he has decided to move to a different area and try to continue his career somewhere else.

"I just hope the kid now gets over his injuries and starts to enjoy football again because he's got plenty left in him."