Darren Ferguson has signed a new contract at Peterborough United with Gavin Strachan moving into the first team management.

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has signed a new three-year contract at London Road.

Ferguson, who has led the club to three promotions, including from League One to the Championship twice, will be joined by Gavin Strachan as part of a management team re-structure.

Kevin Russell has departed the club by mutual consent with Strachan moving from his under 18 role to a First Team Coach position. Goalkeeping Coach Jimmy Walker and First Team Coach Gary Breen continue in their roles.

Ferguson said: 'I am delighted to be signing a new 3 year contract with the club. After lengthy talks between the chairman and I regarding the future and where we both wanted to take the club and him showing me such support again gave me great belief of where the future lay.  I explained my vision of how we continue to be a success both in the development of our players and also on the pitch. I am very excited at the prospect of being at the new training ground on a permanent basis where we will get the opportunity to do this.

'It is a blow to lose Kevin as he has been with me during all my time as a manager and without him our success would never have been possible and I cannot thank him enough, but we both felt the timing was correct. I am looking forward to working closer with Gavin, whose work with the youth team has not gone unnoticed and he is more than ready for the step-up and along with all the other staff are committed to trying to be successful both with the development of our players and success on the pitch.

Strachan said: 'It is a very proud day for me and it s a role that I am really looking forward to. I know how this football club works, I have been here for a number of years and I cannot wait to start working with this group.

'I have been working with the under 18s and a few of those have already made the step up into the first team group and that progression can be hard so I can hopefully help them with that transition, but also work with the more experienced players here at the football club.  I am very much looking forward to pre-season training and really getting stuck in to my new role.'

Russell leaves with the best wishes of everyone at the football club.  Chief Executive Bob Symns said: 'Kevin has been a magnificent servant of the club in his time with us and has been instrumental in its success. We wish him and his family well for the future and I’m sure we’ll see him here again at the Posh.'

Russell said: 'After seven challenging yet rewarding years at Peterborough United Football Club, the time has come for me to move on. In those seven years the club has enjoyed many more highs than lows and there are a number of people that I would like to recognise which without, none of our success would have been possible.

'Firstly I would like to thank the chairman, the players, the staff and supporters. In particular I would like to thank Darren and wish the club all the success in the future.

'During my time at Peterborough United, the club has enjoyed three promotions and this year lifted the Johnstone's Paint Trophy as well as making the play-offs in the 2013/14 season. It was a major disappointment all round to be relegated from the Championship in 2012/13 with what was a record number of points.

'I am very proud that in my tenure we have nurtured a number of players, many of whom have gone onto blossom at a higher level including George Boyd, Aaron Mclean, Craig Mackail-Smith, Lee Tomlin, Dwight Gayle, Ryan Bennett, Russell Martin, Paul Coutts and Paul Taylor to name a few.

'Despite losing players of such calibre we have always managed to create a properly motivated winning team. My thoughts will be with the players, staff and chairman, who I thank for all his backing over the years and I wish the club success over the coming years.

'I am looking forward to a new chapter in my career. Although saddened at the idea of leaving, I am equally excited at the prospect the future holds for me,' Russell said.