Forest Green Rovers have appointed former Bristol City goalkeeping coach David Coles.

He replaces Pat Mountain who moved in the opposite direction last month.

Coles, 55, has wealth of experience under his belt, having also spent time with, Southampton, Portsmouth and West Ham United, working with the likes of England goalkeepers Rob Green and David James.

He said: “It feels good to be here.

“There are new people to meet and I’ve been made to feel welcome.

“I know quite a few of the players already, Matt Mills, Joseph, his brother, Lloyd James and Shawn McCoulsky.

“I enjoy training and I try to keep myself extremely fit to push the goalkeepers.

“It will be an interesting pre-season for them, it will be different and lots of cross over of different sports, not only goalkeeping – I will throw tennis in, I’ll throw boxing in, we’ll do swimming, bits like that.

“With the goalkeepers, it is different. You have to know what makes them tick and how to move them on and make them better.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to work and moving the club on.”

Coles’ playing career saw him start at Birmingham City before representing Aldershot, Brighton & Hove Albion and Yeovil Town before calling time on his playing days in 1994 while at Huish Park.

Coles spent eight years with Southampton, which saw him go to the Millenium Stadium for the FA Cup final.

He moved to south coast rivals Portsmouth where he spent four-and-a-half years, training James as he returned to England’s number one spot and won the FA Cup with Pompey in 2008 as well as making the final again two years later.

He followed Avram Grant to West Ham United in 2010 where he spent a year in the Premier League before leaving when Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager.

After three years coaching in Dubai, Coles returned to Portsmouth where he stayed for a season.

Coles joined Bristol in 2014 from Portsmouth and was a member of Steve Cotterills’ backroom staff where they achieved promotion from League One and won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in the same season in 2014/15.