Former Carlisle United boss Paul Simpson has left his role at Bristol City.

The Championship club today confirmed the departure of the Cumbrian "by mutual agreement".

It ends a 14-month spell at Ashton Gate for Simpson, who held the roles of assistant manager and first-team coach during his time there.

The double Blues promotion-winner 55, recently returned to work after treatment for renal cell carcinoma.

But the Carlisle-born coach has now moved on from the second-tier club, whose manager is another former United boss in Nigel Pearson.

Bristol City's statement said:

Paul Simpson has left Bristol City by mutual agreement.

The club wishes Paul well for the future and thanks him for his 14-month service during a period of transition for the Robins.

Simpson arrived from the Football Association in August 2020 to support then newly-appointed Head Coach Dean Holden.

With the recruitment of Nigel Pearson as permanent Manager in May and Curtis Fleming as Assistant Manager last month, Simpson was re-titled First Team Coach.

City CEO Richard Gould said: “Paul has been a great support during his time with us and we are very thankful for all he has done for the club. We wish him all the best for the future.”

The news is likely to prompt speculation among fans about a possible return to Brunton Park.

Bookmaker Sky Bet have responded by reducing Simpson's odds for the manager's job from 25/1 to 2/1 favourite.

He was in charge at Carlisle from 2003-6, going on to manage Preston, Shrewsbury and Stockport, before coaching spells with Derby and Newcastle - and a successful spell with England's Under-20s, who won the World Cup under his tenure in 2017.