Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs has returned to the club.

Stubbs, who retired earlier this season at Derby County, has joined the coaching staff at Finch Farm.

Stubbs had two separate spells at Everton as a player, finally leaving for Derby County in January 2008, and he admitted that the move back to his boyhood club came as something of a surprise to him.

"It came a little bit out of the blue," he revealed to evertonfc.com.

"There was a conversation about it a couple of weeks ago but nothing more than that at the time. It's only over the last few days it's come to fruition."

Stubbs will be operating alongside Andy Holden with the reserve squad and he is expected to work with Academy players as well.