FORMER City defender Darren Moore has left Doncaster to become the new manager of Sheffield Wednesday.

The 46-year-old, who had been in charge of Rovers since July 2019, succeeds Tony Pulis following his dismissal in December, with Neil Thompson having been in interim charge for the intervening period.

Moore will take charge of the Owls for Wednesday night's Championship clash with Rotherham at Hillsborough.

The Jamaican international was born in Birmingham, but has a real connection to South Yorkshire, having played for both Doncaster and Barnsley, and managed Rovers and now Wednesday.

The centre-back left Doncaster in 1997 to join the Bantams and was a key player in the promotion-winning side of 1998/99, making 44 league appearances to help City into the Premier League for the first time.

Sadly a contract dispute meant he never played in the top-flight for the Bantams, though he did get his chance there with West Brom a few years later.

West Brom were also Moore's first club as a manager, but he was sacked in March 2019 after less than a year in charge.

He took over at Rovers that summer, and guided them to ninth in League One last season.

They were doing better this season, and sat in the play-off positions, before Moore's decision to jump ship today.

The former defender is Wednesday's third permanent manager of the season, with Pulis having lasted only seven weeks after succeeding Garry Monk in November.

Moore leaves a club challenging for promotion in League One for a side who sit second bottom of the Championship, six points from safety having lost their last four games.

Doncaster expressed their disappointment at Moore's decision, with defender Andy Butler put in temporary charge.

Chairman David Blunt said on doncasterroversfc.co.uk: "We are disappointed that Darren has chosen to leave the club part way through what has been a season full of promise.

"We have made significant efforts to support Darren over the past 18 months and ensure he was able to build a team capable of challenging in the top six. This has included supporting him through the past two transfer windows despite the difficult financial circumstances.

"Our ambitions remain to achieve a top-six finish and we hope and expect that Andy will use this time to put himself in the prime position to secure the role on a permanent basis at the end of the season.

"Andy's first priority will be to halt the team's recent run of poor form and put our season back on track."

Assistant manager Jamie Smith has also left Rovers.