DARREN Patterson will be named as Bristol Rovers' new head of youth later this summer.

The 36-year-old Northern Irishman is to be handed the task of overseeing the club's youth development, which is returning in-house from the start of next season.

The Pirates have been running their youth scheme at Filton College for the last five years.

But to comply with Football League funding requirements – which supply grant aid of around £150,000 a year towards their youth scheme – the club have to employ their own coaching staff, and Patterson is expected to officially take over his new role from July 1.

Well respected within the game for his coaching ability, Patterson had a spell as youth-team coach at Oxford United before two stints as their first-team manager.

The first – in March 2006 – lasted only a few days after the club underwent a change of ownership immediately following his appointing.

The second, following a spell as first-team coach, saw him succeed Jim Smith as Oxford boss in November 2007 before being sacked a year later after a poor start to the season.

As a player, defender Patterson had a spell at Luton Town under Lennie Lawrence, currently Bristol Rovers director of football.

He started his career at West Bromwich Albion, but failed to make a first-team breakthrough and then had spells with Wigan, Crystal Palace, Dundee United and York City before finishing his playing days at Oxford.

When the youth system revamp was announced earlier in the year, Bristol Rovers chairman Nick Higgs said he hoped the reintroduction of a scholarship scheme would bring the youth set-up closer to the first team.

He added: "We see this as a positive step to help nurture the local youth and it will help move our youngsters further forward."

Patterson is expected to be based at the South Bristol Sports Centre, in Knowle. Rovers are expected to move their first-team squad to the same training base at some stage next season, once drainage issues at the site have been overcome.

● Rovers' Presidents Club have joined a string of local businesses by buying one of the £1,000 tickets in the draw which will determine who becomes the club's shirt sponsors next season.

Former Rovers keeper Andy Collett has been appointed as the new goalkeeping coach at League One rivals Oldham Athletic.

Collett, aged 35, had spent the past five years as goalkeeping coach at Darlington, but was sacked after the cash-strapped League Two outfit went into administration.

He made 107 league appearances for the Pirates between 1999-2004.