Rovers have announced that assistant manager Mark Venus will be leaving his position at the club.

Tony Mowbray's long-time assistant manager Venus leaves after five years at Ewood Park. That follows the departure of Mowbray, with the club having announced he would be leaving at the end of his contract earlier this month.

First-team coach David Lowe, goalkeeping coach Ben Benson and first-team technical coach Damien Johnson remain in situ, and could yet be part of the set-up working alongside Mowbray's eventual replacement.

A club statement read: “Rovers wish to announce that Mark Venus will be leaving his role with the club during the close season.

“Mark joined Rovers as Tony Mowbray’s assistant manager in June 2017 and helped the club secure automatic promotion back to the Championship in his first season at Ewood Park.

“The club would like to thank Mark for all his hard work and efforts over the past five years and we wish him well in his future career.”

Mowbray waited until the summer of 2017, four months after his appointment, to bring Venus on board.

He had initially worked with staff already at the club, as Lowe, Benson and David Dunn were promoted from their previous Academy roles.

As Dunn went back to his position as Under-23s assistant manager, Venus was brought in to work alongside Mowbray once again, the pair guiding Rovers to an immediate return to the Championship.

Venus stayed on after Mowbray’s departure from previous club Coventry City, but this time leaves alongside his former team-mate and long-time coaching partner.

Mowbray also indicated that head of recruitment John Park, who worked with the pair at Hibernian and Celtic, would also be moving on this summer.

Mowbray waited until the summer of 2017, four months after his appointment, to bring Venus on board.

He had initially worked with staff already at the club, as Lowe, Benson and David Dunn were promoted from their previous Academy roles.

As Dunn went back to his position as Under-23s assistant manager, Venus was brought in to work alongside Mowbray once again, the pair guiding Rovers to an immediate return to the Championship.

Venus stayed on at Coventry City, the last club he and Mowbray worked together, but leaves alongside his former team-mate and long-time coaching partner.

Mowbray also indicated prior to his departure that head of recruitment John Park, who worked alongside him and Venus at Hibernian and Celtic, would be leaving his position, though that is yet to be confirmed by the club.

Rovers are currently in the interview stage of their search for a replacement for Mowbray.

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