Leroy Rosenior begins work today as Brentford's new manager.

The former Torquay United boss resigned as first team coach at Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday, telling the League Two club that he was going to take up a managerial post elsewhere.

The 42-year-old one-time Sierra Leone international and ex-Gillingham player-manager Andy Hessenthaler were earmarked by Brentford as two ambitious young candidates from similar football backgrounds to Martin Allen, who was recruited from non-league Barnet two years ago.

But Rosenior, interviewed by Peterborough United before they appointed former Lincoln City boss Keith Alexander as their new manager, made the bigger impression on Brentford's four-man interview panel of chairman Greg Dyke, deputy chairman Brian Burgess, director Jon Harting and chief scout John Griffin, who is now expected to be given the new title of general manager'.

Rosenior was also preferred by Brentford to more experienced managers such as former QPR boss Ian Holloway and Danny Wilson, the one-time Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons boss who was given the Hartlepool job on Tuesday.

Dyke told the Guardian: "We have interviewed a series of potential managers over the past week and were anxious to make a decision quickly as the pre-season games start next month. We have made that decision and are now sorting out the contract.

"We have been impressed with the potential shown by younger managers on the way up that was the pattern we adopted with the appointment of our previous manager Martin Allen."

Rosenior was a much-travelled centre-forward with Fulham, Queen's Park Rangers, West Ham, Charlton (on loan), Bristol City, Fleet and Gloucester City.

He represented England at U16 and U21 level, but changed allegiance to Sierra Leone and gained one cap for them. Rosenior was a League Cup losing finalist with QPR in 1986.

His coaching and managerial career includes spells with Bristol City (youth team coach), Gloucester City (player-manager), Bristol City (youth, reserve and caretaker first team coach), Merthyr Tydfil (manager), Torquay United (manager) and Shrewsbury Town (first team coach).

Rosenior left Torquay by mutual consent in January, with the club just managing to avoid being relegated from the Football League.

In his second season in charge he had taken Torquay to promotion to League One, but they were relegated on the last day of the following season.

The return to League Two brought the departure of star players Alex Russell and Adebayo Akinfenwa and a season near the foot of the table.

On March 30 Rosenior joined Shrewsbury, acting as assistant to manager Gary Peters.

Peters said: "Leroy has taken up a post that he couldn't turn down.

"I would like to thank him for all the hard work he's done in his time with Shrewsbury."

Clapham-born Rosenior, whose son Liam plays for Fulham, has been praised for speaking openly about the racism he experienced as a player and a manager.

He has said there is a glass ceiling' holding back qualified black coaches from getting the top jobs.

l Allen, who resigned from Brentford last month, has still to find a new post.

He had talks with Tranmere Rovers before Ronnie Moore was given their manager's job and is now being linked with the vacant posts at MK Dons and Hull City.

While at Brentford he missed out on the jobs at Ipswich, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Millwall and Bristol City.