When former North-East and Midlands MD Steve Brown left Trinity Mirror in a company restructure earlier this year, the response from his former employees in Newcastle and Birmingham was startling.

The NUJ chapel in Newcastle passed a vote of no confidence in the company’s management over Steve’s departure – despite the fact that he had previously overseen a round of job cuts at the North-East centre – while HoldtheFrontPage was deluged with comments in support of the former boss.

One Newcastle insider who called himself ‘Angry Journo’ wrote: "Steve Brown is without argument head and shoulders above all of them in terms of his passion, respect, strategic vision, performance delivery and intellect. Someone is going to get a fantastic manager soon. Good luck Steve."

He was right. Today it was announced that Steve is to take over as chief executive of the Claverley Group, parent company of the Wolverhampton Express & Star.