Gary Neville appointed manager of Valencia

Valencia has named former Manchester United captain Gary Neville as manager until the end of the season.

Neville will take charge Dec. 6 ahead of Valencia's Champions League group stage match against Lyon, the Spanish team announced.

(Courtesy: Valencia)

Valencia president Layhoon Chan said in a statement, "We are delighted to have secured Gary so quickly: He combines top level coaching experience through his role as a senior coach with the England national team and a world-class playing career with England and Manchester United."

Neville, who becomes the Liga team's first English coach since 1933, joins his brother at the club - Phil Neville was hired during the summer as a coach, and was later named assistant to interim coach Voro following Nuno Espirito Santo's resignation.

"Valencia are a huge football club of immense standing and I know from my time as a player the passion and dedication of the Valencia fans," Gary said. "I am really looking forward to working with the club's talented group of players and am excited about the challenge ahead."

He will retain his role as assistant of the English national team under manager Roy Hodgson during the 2016 European Championship next summer, the Football Association confirmed shortly after the appointment.

"I'm delighted that Gary has decided to take this excellent opportunity. It's the right moment in time for him and I'm 100 percent behind his decision to join Valencia as the new head coach," Hodgson said.

"As far as I'm concerned, this will be an extra string to his bow and the experience he will gain working in the Spanish league can only be beneficial to our work together with the England team."

Valencia owner Peter Lim currently shares another a partnership with Gary: the two, along with former Manchester United players, share ownership of Salford City after the Singaporean businessman purchased a 50 percent stake in the team.