Former Everton and Arsenal goalkeeper George Wood has been appointed as goalkeeping coach at Scottish Championship side Ayr United. The 53-year-old, who won 14 caps for Scotland and was part of the 1982 World Cup squad, leaves Cardiff City after nearly two decades at the club.
Wood, who played alongside Cardiff manager Dave Jones at Everton, has been a key figure at Ninian Park, working with goalkeepers from the youth academy through to the first team. He played a pivotal role in the development of Neil Alexander, who became a regular in the Coca-Cola Championship last season.
Cardiff City manager Dave Jones paid tribute to Wood, stating: 'George is part of the fabric at Ninian Park - he has done such a lot for this club. Personally, I will miss him in the dug-out. I always sat next to him and we chatted during games.'
Wood's departure comes as his teenage son James, a highly-rated goalkeeper in Cardiff's youth academy, continues to attract interest from top Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea. James has been selected for both Welsh and Scottish Under-16 squads.
Wood began his playing career at East Stirling before moving to Blackpool, Everton, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Hereford United, and Merthyr Tydfil. He later managed Inter Cardiff in the League of Wales and has been Cardiff's goalkeeping coach for around a decade.
