FORMER Swindon Town boss Mark Cooper has been confirmed as the new manager of National League promotion hopefuls Forest Green Rovers.

Cooper, sacked by Swindon Town in October of last year, will not be in charge of Rovers for Sunday's play-off final against Grimsby, with interim manager Scott Bartlett remaining at the helm as the Gloucestershire side try to reach the Football League for the first time in this history.

Cooper was appointed Notts County boss in March until the end of the season, but the 47 year old left after Saturday's final match in favour of taking up the role at the Nailsworth club.

Cooper said: “I’m excited to be joining a club with a clear aim and strategy on where it wants to go and how it wants to get there.

“There are not many opportunities to join a club that has that foresight – a lot of clubs are run day to day and don’t plan for the future.

“These clubs may be bigger clubs in stature, but this is a big club in the way it is looking forward.”

Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince said: “This is a very exciting appointment for the club and the start of the next phase of our development.

"Mark is a talented manager with a great track record, an adherent of Total Football - and has FGR in his blood - being a former captain of the club.

"Mark and Scotty know each other well and we’ll see a strong link between our first team and academy as a result.

"It’s a great pleasure to welcome Mark back to Forest Green."

Bartlett said: “Mark is someone I look up to and someone I am very happy to work with.

“I visited Swindon last season to watch and learn from Mark, and it’s not every manager who invites you into their office to share their experience.

“So I am as excited as everyone else should be by Mark’s appointment."

Cooper played for Forest Green during the 2001-02 campaign and guided Town to the League One play off final at Wembley last season.