Carlisle United have added to their first-team coaching staff with the appointment of former Crawley No2 Nathan Rooney.

He has joined the Blues as first-team coach to work alongside manager Steven Pressley and assistant Gavin Skelton.

Rooney was at Chester's Deva Stadium on Tuesday where he was spotted chatting to manager Pressley before Carlisle's 0-0 pre-season friendly draw.

He worked as a player development coach and youth team manager at Fleetwood during Pressley's time there as part of a three-year stint.

Rooney joined United for training today and was described by the Blues as a "young and dynamic coach".

Pressley said he would work with both United's senior and younger players.

United's boss said: “I know Nathan well, having worked with him before, and I think he will be an excellent addition to my staff.

“He has experience of working with under-18 players, development squad players and, as we saw last season at Crawley, with a first team group.

“Here at Carlisle we do a lot of additional work with our younger players in the afternoons, and Nathan will bring a host of good ideas for that.

“Obviously that benefits the club, because it continues the development work that’s needed with some of the group.

"In addition he's the type of person who will work well with the senior squad members, and that's also very important.

“He’s a bright character and, like I say, his skill sets and attributes will complement what we already have within the first team staff environment.”

Rooney previously worked in the youth set-up at home-town club Blackburn as well as a spell at Accrington Stanley.

His CV also includes a period in Africa as Rooney set up some football camps in Guinea Bissau, a spell working with the Gibraltar national team and a part-time coach in non-league with Ramsbottom.

After his most recent position, as assistant head coach at Crawley last season, he left this summer, the Sussex club saying Rooney wanted to be closer to his family in the north west.

"Nathan is a good person and worked really hard last year," said Crawley boss Gabriele Cioffi recently. "He learned a lot through some difficult moments and I am sure that he will go on to have a great career in the years to come."

His arrival appears to complete a reshaping of the first-team backroom staff at Carlisle after the departures of Tommy Wright and Paul Murray at the end of last season, and Gavin Skelton's promotion from the academy to assistant manager.

United had initially appeared to be proceeding without replacing both Wright and Murray, but Pressley last month admitted he was "looking at different areas and improvements we can make" regarding his coaching team and would be assessing the situation during pre-season.

Wright is now with Swindon and Murray was this week appointed academy manager at Oldham.