Billy Barr is to leave his position as Rovers Under-23s boss to join Salford City.

Barr is set to join the League Two club to assist Gary Bowyer who was appointed as permanent boss in the summer.

That will leave Rovers Under-23s searching for their second new manager in two years after Damien Johnson joined the first-team set-up as technical coach in 2019.

Barr, who stepped up from his previous position as Under-18s boss to take on the Under-23s role, is understood to be joining Bowyer as his assistant at the League Two club.

Former Rovers boss Bowyer initially joined the Ammies on a short-term deal in March, and his record of taking 20 points from the final 11 games, including winning the manager of the month prize for April, saw him sign a permanent deal with the club.

Salford will have ambitions of getting out of League Two at the third attempt after missing out on the play-offs last term by two points.

Barr, aged 52, has previously had caretaker spells in charge of Carlisle United and Wrexham, and also had a spell as first-team coach at Sheffield Wednesday prior to joining the Rovers Academy.

In his second season in charge of the Under-23s he led the club to an impressive fourth spot in Premier League 2 but is set to try his hand at first-team football once again, reuniting with Bowyer, with the pair having previously worked alongside each other in the Rovers Academy.

Barr’s departure is set to be confirmed ahead of the Lancashire Senior Cup final with Wigan Athletic on Friday, which could see Under-18s boss Mike Sheron, or head of Academy coaching, Tony Carss, step up to take charge of the side.