DERBY have confirmed Steve McClaren as their new head coach on a three-year contract.

The former England and Middlesbrough boss succeeds Nigel Clough, who was sacked on Saturday evening just hours after Derby’s 1-0 defeat to rivals Nottingham Forest.

McClaren arrives from QPR, where he has been a coach under Harry Redknapp since the beginning of July.

No compensation was necessary as the short-term deal he signed in the summer was set to expire this week.

The 52-year-old’s appointment sees him return for a third spell at the club he served first as a player and then assistant to Jim Smith, whom he helped to guide Derby to the Premier League in the 1995/96 season.

He will have former Carlisle and Preston boss Paul Simpson as first-team coach and Eric Steele, formerly of Manchester United, as goalkeeping coach.

Derby chief executive Sam Rush said: ‘‘Steve is a highly qualified coach with all the skill-sets required to be a success here at Pride Park.

“He also has a network of contacts both on a European and global scale, and has also proved in the past that he can identify talent and develop it on the training ground, especially younger players.’’ Derby plan to appoint a technical director in the near future to work alongside Mc- Claren, who will watch the Rams’ home Championship fixture against Ipswich tonight from the stands.

His last managerial role in English football was at Forest, but he lasted just 111 days before resigning following a fall-out with the board over a lack of financial backing.

McClaren said: ‘‘Getting into the play-offs, challenging getting into the top two and getting into the Premier League. Of course that’s the ambition but a long way off.’’ Graham Kavanagh has been appointed manager of Carlisle on a contract to June 2015.The 39-year-old former Boro and Sunderland midfielder has been caretaker boss since the start of September.