DAN Harris joined Tony Mowbray's backroom staff as head of sports science in July 2008.

He had previously spent two years at Blues, where he played a key role in setting up a comprehensive in-house sports science department to closely monitor players' fitness.

He took over the reins at The Hawthorns from strength and conditioning coach Dave Wilson, who joined Albion as a consultant in October 2007 and left at the end of that season.

Harris was joined by Bill Styles as assistant sports scientist and Arun Singh as a part-time strength and conditioning coach.

Academy intern Matt Green and research intern Anthony Blanchfield were also kept on as part of Harris' sports science department.

Cheltenham-born Harris spent two seasons as an outdoor activities instructor before moving on to study sports science at Loughborough University.

During his time there he was part of a research project for Lucozade looking into the 'effects of carbohydrate on football performance' and completed his UEFA B coaching license.

He joined Peterborough United in 2001 to work with the youth team before moving onto Coventry City in 2002, where he spent four-and-a-half seasons.

In March 2006 he moved to Blues.

Harris also spent four years working on an itinerant basis for the FA with England youth teams up to Under-20 level and lecturing on the 'fitness trainers' award' at Lilleshall.

It was on various FA courses that he was first introduced to Mowbray.