Club icon Stacey Jones will take over as the Warriors’ under-20 coach at the end of the season.

His appointment follows confirmation in the past week that present under-20s coach John Ackland will leave the NRL club after their current campaign.

Jones, 37, has signed a two-year deal and will move from his position as the Warriors’ junior recruitment and pathways coach.

As a halfback dubbed “the Little General”, Jones made 261 first-grade appearances and scored 674 points for the Warriors. Both achievements remain club records.

After retirement, he coached his old side, Point Chevalier, to title success in both 2010 and 2011, earning them promotion to Auckland’s Fox Memorial competition.

Ackland has enjoyed plenty of success since taking over as Junior Warriors mentor in 2010, having previously been assistant to then first-grade coach Ivan Cleary.

The announcement that he will leave the club came after reports of strains in his relationship with Matthew Elliott, who took over the NRL job at the end of last year.