New Hornets boss Sean Dyche looks poised to bring Ian Woan to Vicarage Road as his number two, the Watford Observer understands.

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder is currently first-team coach at Portsmouth and manager Steve Cotterill has admitted he expects the move to happen soon.

Watford are said to have been given permission to talk to the 43-year-old and Cotterill told The News: “To be fair to Watford, they have done it all the right way and made an approach for him to go and work alongside Sean Dyche.

“To be honest, when Sean Dyche got the job I knew this one would be coming because they are really close.

“Woany is his best mate and vice versa and they have ended up being friends and their families are friends.

“To be fair to Watford, they have approached us in the right manner and asked to speak to him.

“I see that happening soon.

“It’s a shame, really, he’s a good part of the group.

“Him and Guy (Whittingham) signed new contracts last season which showed how highly I thought of him.”

Woan arrived at Fratton Park four years ago as coach to Pompey’s Under-18s and has worked his way up to become a key part of their first-team set-up.

A talented left-footed midfield play remembered for his crossing, shooting and set-piece ability, Woan started as a youth player at Manchester City but spent five years in non-league before Forest signed him from Runcorn in 1990.

He scored 31 goals in more than 200 appearances at the City Ground during ten years at the club before moving to Swindon Town and then Shrewsbury Town, either side of a spell in America in Major League Soccer.