Gary McAllister links up again with Gordon Strachan

McAllister, a manager in his own right at Coventry City and Leeds United, will work alongside Strachan, assistant Garry Pendrey and new goalkeeping coach Jim Blyth, another former Scotland internationalist.

McAllister's appointment at the Riverside club reunites the former midfielder with Strachan, who was a team-mate at Leeds United when the Elland Road club won the First Division title in 1992. Strachan and McAllister were both key players in this success, with the latter also going on to distinguish himself at Liverpool. But subsequent spells in management were framed by the death of his wife Denise from cancer four years ago.

McAllister, 45, took a break from football but returned to take charge at Leeds in February 2008. He was sacked 11 months later after a run of five successive defeats and has twice since turned down opportunities to return to the game. In September last year McAllister rejected an offer to become one of George Burley's assistants in the Scotland set-up as he weighed up offers to return to club football in England. But four days later he also turned down the chance to join Portsmouth as assistant to then manager Paul Hart after he could not agree terms with the club. However, the 57-times capped former Scotland player has found a new start at Middlesbrough, who Strachan led to 11th place in the Championship last season.

The former Celtic manager recently parted company with coaches Colin Cooper, Stephen Pears and Martin Scott at the Riverside, having inherited the trio when taking over from former boss Gareth Southgate in October 2009. McAllister, who played under Strachan at Coventry, yesterday looked forward to being re-acquainted with his compatriot.

"We had a successful spell as players in the same team at Leeds United and I worked under Gordon when he was manager at Coventry, and we have been friends a long while," said McAllister. "I am really excited about coming here. Everything is in place here to get better.

"Gordon has been my boss before, but I respect him and his thoughts on the game. We had a good understanding as players – arguments and fights, but the ethos and the way the game is played and the enthusiasm for the game, we are quite similar."

Blyth is also re-united with Strachan. The 55-year-old was goalkeeping coach at both Coventry and then Celtic before he left along with Strachan in May 2009. He made two appearances for Scotland in 1978, versus Wales and Bulgaria.

Both McAllister and Blyth will join Strachan, Pendrey and the squad on their training camp trip to the La Manga resort in Spain on Saturday.