Simon Cooper has left his position as head of Academy recruitment at Rovers to take up the same role at Stoke City.
Cooper has ended his three-year stay within the Rovers Academy set-up and will join the Potters to head up their search for the next generation of prospects, a move confirmed by the Potters.
Stoke have been advertising for the position which will focus on recruitment for their Under-15s to Under-18s side as they look to continue their production line from Academy to first-team.
That has included the likes of Joe Bursik, Harry Souttar, Tyrese Campbell and Nathan Collins who last month sold to Burnley worth in the region of £12m.
Cooper joined Rovers in 2018 from Oldham Athletic, having previously worked as a youth coach at Manchester City and also been part of the recruitment department at Accrington Stanley.
He first moved into first-team football with Stockport County following success with a pub team after being dragged into Manchester organised crime as a teenager.
Cooper is the second departure from the Rovers Academy in the last week.
It comes after Under-23s boss Billy Barr left to join Salford City as assistant manager to Gary Bowyer.
Cooper worked previously alongside Stuart Harvey, Rovers’ former head of recruitment, who left for a similar post at Sunderland in April.
John Park was announced as Harvey’s replacement last month and his remit is set to include that of first-team and Academy until a successor for Cooper is found.
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