Wigan Athletic secure new goalkeeping coach following tragic passing of Kevin Miller
Matt Gilks is back at Wigan Athletic as goalkeeping coach - almost a decade after leaving as a player
Matt Gilks has returned to Wigan Athletic as goalkeeping coach - almost a decade after leaving as a player.
The 44-year-old - a former Scotland international - spent the second half of the 2016/17 campaign at Wigan as a player under Warren Joyce and Graham Barrow.
Gilks made 14 appearances in the run-in, but was unable to prevent Latics suffering relegation from the Championship.
He now rejoins Barrow on the coaching staff at Wigan as replacement for Kevin Miller, who tragically passed away last month at the age of 57.
"It's a really difficult situation for this to happen and have to replace someone, and the way it's happened," said Latics boss Gary Caldwell. "But Gillo is someone I've known for a while and through Scotland camps.
"A lot of the staff know him - Pete (Atherton) worked with him at a certain team up the road, Perks (David Perkins) has played with him, and so has Cal Mac (Callum McManaman), and we needed someone with his character and personality, and I'm sure he will do really well."
Accrington manager John Doolan - another former Latics player - said: "We would like to thank Matt for all of his dedication and hard work at Accrington Stanley over the last year-and-a-half.
"During his time here, he has used all of his experience, as a player and as a goalkeeping coach, to bring the goalkeepers on and we massively appreciate his efforts, both last season and this current one.
"Ged Brannan (another ex-Latics man), myself, and everyone else at the football club wish him all the very best for the future."
Gilks joined Accrington at the beginning of last season, and thanked everyone at Stanley for their role in his career development.
"Firstly, I'd like to thank John and Ged for bringing me to the football club," he said. "Everyone has been so welcoming and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Accrington Stanley.
"It has been a pleasure working with the four goalkeepers, and the same goes for all of the other players and staff, who have been here over the past 12 months or so.
"I will always keep an eye out for Stanley's results, and I wish everyone involved with the club all the very best for whatever the future brings."