"I did look to bring Sammy Lee in, but he's still negotiating with Bolton over his contract and that made the situation difficult," McAllister told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "I told Sammy that I needed to get someone in straight away and he understood where I was coming from.
"It was fortunate for me that Steve was available and willing to take the job. Steve knows that I was going after Sammy initially, and it's not a case of him being second choice. Steve's an experienced guy in his own right and he fits the bill."