Former Bristol Rovers defender takes up international management role - will face England

Former Bristol Rovers defender Christian Edwards has taken up the role as assistant manager of the semi-professional Wales team.

Edwards, who made over 100 appearances between 2003 and 2006 for the Gas, played in three seasons, earning mid-table finishes in each season, playing mainly alongside Adam Barrett.

The 46-year-old will work alongside Mark Jones, ahead of the match with Paul Fairclough’s England C at Caernarfon on March 30.

“Jonah phoned me a few months ago to ask if I’d like to be involved and I jumped at the chance – it is a fantastic honour to be involved with your country at any level,” said Edwards to the Cymru Football website after being given the role.”

The ‘C’ international is made up of non-league players from England, playing mainly in the National League, giving an opportunity for players who may not otherwise get a chance to represent their country.

It has launched the careers of many including the likes of Junior Agogo, who made more than 100 appearances for Rovers.

Lee Brown and Tom Parkes meanwhile represented the non-league Three Lions during their time in the West Country too when the club were battling for promotion.

After leaving the Memorial Stadium, Edwards joined Forest Green Rovers but made just nine appearances. In 2007 he returned to Wales and joined Aberystwyth Town, taking over as caretaker manager and later as an assistant after making over 100 appearances there.

He later turned to education and through studying multiple courses, he was granted the title of ‘Dr’ in sports coaching, earning a first class honours degree.

Combined with his studies, Edwards became the manager of the university he studied at, Cardiff Metropolitan, overseeing their whole football programme.

He took from the fourth tier of Welsh football to the top flight, which is known as the Cymru Premier, which is the league that Sam Finley previously played in for The New Saints.

For a brief period, he had to step aside to allow former Bristol City striker Wayne Allison to take charge but he later took to the dugout and brought more success.

Edwards led his squad, made up of undergraduate, postgraduate and alumni students, into the Europa League after winning their play-off final, in the same year they won the League Cup.

He will stand down from his post at the end of the season following 14 years of service to the institution.