PHIL Brown is leaving Bolton Wanderers to manage Derby County.

The Reebok assistant manager has agreed a three-year contract with the Rams.

Wanderers chairman, Phil Gartside, flew back from a business trip to Australia overnight to negotiate the details of a compensation package, but that appeared to be nothing more than a formality on Friday morning with 46-year-old Brown all set to fulfil his long-standing ambition to land his first managerial role.

For Wanderers, however, it means Sam Allardyce is now having to fill two key roles in his backroom team following the departure of his first team coach, Neil McDonald, who is joining Crystal Palace as assistant manager to Iain Dowie.

There has been speculation that Allardyce will turn to Peter Reid, his former Bolton team-mate and close friend, who is available after leaving Coventry last season. Jimmy Phillips, another long-serving loyalist who has coached the youth and reserve teams, could be lined up for a promotion but Wanderers are refusing to comment on backroom developments.

Brown, who has worked alongside Allardyce for more than seven years - two seasons as Blackpool and the last five and a half at the Reebok - flew back from a family holiday in Portugal on Thursday to accept Derby's offer.

Although details of the settlement with Wanderers had still to be agreed, he was given the keys to the Rams training ground and was finally able to press ahead with his plans for next season. Former Wanderers boss Bruce Rioch, who was Brown's manager for two years at Burnden Park, is reported to be lined up to join him at Pride Park.

"I've been groomed and I'm ready for this," Brown said as he prepared to take charge of the club that narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premiership last season, finishing fourth in the Championship and losing to Preston in the play-off semi-finals.

"I can't thank Sam for what he's done for me over the last seven or eight years and for not standing in my way.

"I can't wait to get started."

Brown, who has had a 17-year association with Wanderers since Phil Neal signed him from Halifax Town in 1988, said he was delighted to be leaving the club on a high.

"People might think I'm crazy leaving now after helping the club qualify for Europe for the first time in its history but, if they think that, they don't know Phil Brown.

"I've always wanted to be a manager and a club like Derby will give me the opportunity to fulfil that ambition to the best of my ability.

"I've spent more than half of my football life at Bolton and the club has been nothing but first class as far as I am concerned. I will always have fond memories of my time there.

"It was always going to be hard to prise myself away but I'm absolutely elated to be given the chance to manage a club of Derby's stature in my first management opportunity.

"I've got a big job on my hands but George (Burley) has left me with a very good squad that finished fourth last season and that has put pressure on me to try to get Derby into the Premiership. But I'm looking forward to the challenge."