FORMER Scunthorpe United boss Russell Wilcox will be unveiled as the new manager of York City today.

The Press has learned that Wilcox, sacked by the Iron exactly a week ago, was the Minstermen's first choice on a shortlist which was also believed to have included ex-Accrington Stanley chief James Beattie, to replace Nigel Worthington following his resignation.

It is understood that Wilcox will retain Worthington's assistant Steve Torpey as his own number two with the pair former Scunthorpe team-mates at a time when City's new boss was assistant player-manager to Brian Laws at Glanford Park Wilcox, 50, met with City representatives on Monday just hours after Worthington confirmed he was leaving Bootham Crescent and will now begin his second managerial role in the game, having set a Football League record during his first.

The Doncaster-based, ex-Northampton and Scunthorpe centre back enjoyed the longest-ever unbeaten start to a managerial reign in this country when he racked up 28 matches without a loss on his way to guiding the Iron to promotion from Sky Bet League Two last term.

That achievement, stretching over five months from November to April, saw him displace William Sudell in the history books.

Sudell's Preston North End team went 24 games undefeated during the competition's inaugural season of 1888/89.

It also saw him named League Two coach of the year.

But Wilcox, who has the UEFA Pro Licence, lost his job at Glanford Park with Scunthorpe sitting second-bottom in the League One standings following a run of eight defeats in their opening 11 fixtures.

He had taken over at the Lincolnshire outfit from Laws, having also been the ex-Nottingham Forest full-back's assistant at Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday.

Last season's successes, meanwhile, saw him complete a unique hat-trick of promotions at Scunthorpe, as a player, coach and manager.

Wilcox also briefly worked as a number two for Lee Bradbury at Bournemouth in 2011.

As a player, he started out at Doncaster where he returned after spells with Frickley Athletic, Northampton and Hull before ending his 17-year long career following stints at Preston and Scunthorpe.

A 6ft defender - he scored 35 goals in 590 professional games before hanging his boots up in 2002.

Among the current City playing staff, he has worked with skipper Russell Penn when he was a first-year professional at Scunthorpe and Wes Fletcher, who made his Burnley debut at the age of 19 under Laws and Wilcox as a League Cup substitute for England international Jay Rodriguez.

Wilcox is expected to hold his first press conference at Bootham Crescent this afternoon and will take training at the club's Wigginton Road base tomorrow, where preparations will begin for Saturday's home match with Shrewsbury Town.

He will take over a Minstermen team that has only won one match - against ten-man Stevenage - in their last 17 outings with Penn suspended and Michael Ingham, Jake Hyde, Michael Coulson, Wes Fletcher and Ryan Jarvis still injury doubts, along with long-term cruciate knee ligament casualty Josh Carson.

City are also without a win in eight home matches and only lie one place outside the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of Oxford with bottom club Tranmere, currently searching for a new manager themselves after sacking Rob Edwards, a further point behind.