FORMER Scunthorpe United and Bristol City striker Steve Torpey is York City’s new youth-team coach.

Torpey, 38, succeeds Neil Redfearn in the role after his promotion to assistant manager under Martin Foyle.

City chief Foyle was impressed when Torpey demonstrated his coaching ability at Wigginton Road last week.

Foyle was also attracted by Torpey’s passion for coaching with the 6ft 3in forward currently combining running his own soccer schools’ business with helping to train Premier League Hull City’s apprentices.

Previously, Torpey has coached at Farsley Celtic, where he played last season and at the start of this campaign before moving on to North Ferriby United.

About the appointment, City boss Foyle said: “He’s got plenty of enthusiasm and is very busy, which I like because it means he’s been proactive doing things off his own back. He’s also a decent person, which is important with the youth team because I didn’t want anybody dictatorial.

“I played with him and, although people thought he was a hard man, he’s a gentle giant. I’ve spoken to two of my mates who used to play with him and they spoke highly of him. He’s already been in to do some coaching and fitted in very well.”

Torpey, who scored 180 goals in 711 games as a Football League forward, will start work tomorrow.

He will be employed at City on a part-time basis, allowing him to continue his work at the KC Stadium, which Foyle believes will benefit the Minstermen.

The City manager added: “He will be carrying on his work at Hull, which will be a good contact for us when they are releasing their boys.”

Islington-born Torpey began his professional career at Millwall and went on to play for Bradford, Swansea, Bristol City, Notts County, Scunthorpe and Lincoln.

His services twice commanded six-figure fees, with Bristol City paying £400,000 to sign him from Swansea in 1997. Three years later, Scunthorpe shelled out a then club record fee of £175,000 to acquire him from Ashton Gate.

Foyle, himself, will take the opportunity to watch City’s youth team for the first time this weekend at home to Scunthorpe.

He said: “Two or three of them did well in the reserve game last week and I like the look of them.

“I will have the chance to watch them before the Ebbsfleet match on Saturday and I want to have a good look because it won’t be too long before we need to make decisions on the second-year apprentices.

“The youth team will play a big part over the next two years and we need to keep players coming through.”