Former Carlisle United player and coach Joe Joyce has left his role at Newcastle United.

The ex-Blues defender had been the Magpies' long-serving academy manager.

But the 60-year-old has now departed St James' Park, the club today confirmed in a statement.

The said Joyce had "left his position", adding: "Joe joined the club in 2006 and played a key role in the Academy achieving Category One status as part of the Premier League's Elite Player Performance Plan in 2014.

"The club would like to thank Joe for his service and wishes him well for the future."

Steve Harper has been put in interim charge of the academy.

It was reported in February by the Daily Mail that Joyce had been stood down from the role after his wife raised a dispute with the club over the treatment of their son Sam, who was in the Newcastle academy before his release in 2019.

The Mail said a dispute was brought against the club over treatment of an injury during Sam's time at St James' Park, also claiming there was "an issue" over his academic education whilst in the academy. Newcastle did not comment on the claims.

Consett-born Joyce played a key part in United's successes in the 1990s both on and off the field.

The former Barnsley player joined from Scunthorpe in the 1993/4 season and was a regular part of Mick Wadsworth's defence that campaign - also memorably scoring a brilliant goal in the 1994 Autoglass Trophy Northern Final second leg against Huddersfield:

Whilst making more than 50 Blues appearances, his experience was also invaluable on the coaching side with Joyce helping Wadsworth and Mervyn Day, and then assisting the latter, until 1997.