Chris Beech says Dan Hanford has returned to Carlisle United an “older, wiser and calmer” person.

The ex-Blues keeper is back at Brunton Park as goalkeeping coach.

It is also a reunion for the Welsh gloveman with Beech, who coached Hanford as a teenager at Rochdale.

The United head coach knew Hanford as a 16-year-old, while he later went on to play for the Cumbrians from 2014-16.

The 30-year-old is now operating purely in a coaching capacity and Beech believes Hanford can make strides as part of his backroom team.

“ He’s young, he’s ambitious, and he’s accepted the conversation we’ve had about playing because he’s still got that in him at 30/31,” Beech said.

“He’s taken that leap, which I did actually at a similar age, and he’s got the opportunity to progress his coaching career.

“He’s starting that as a club he’s played for, and I know him from being an apprentice.

“I inherited him when I first started at Rochdale. He was a young Welsh international at the age of 16, but it was a different Dan then from what it is now.

“He’s older, wiser and calmer. It’s a great opportunity he now has in front of him.”

Hanford is working with first-team keeper Magnus Norman and 17-year-ol,d new pros Gabriel Breeze and Scott Simons.

Carlisle are also aiming to bring in another first-team keeper to compete with Norman, with United having played down any prospect of Hanford himself playing next season.

Beech said the position was highly coveted once it became known that previous goalkeeping coach Steve Collis was leaving Brunton Park.

The fact Hanford is based in Carlisle was an undeniable factor in bringing in the ex-Hereford and Southport No1, Beech said.

“Dan was probably one of many people, because it’s amazing, when an opportunity arises, the interest it gains,” Beech said.

“He does live round the corner from the ground, which is a massive thing for me.

“All of my support staff – Jacob [Blain], Dan, Greg [Short], and even Ross [Goodwin] doesn’t live too far away. I know Neil [Dalton, United’s former physio] lived down Warwick Road, so he was always available as a physio, but it’s great that they’re constantly here and not trying to shoot off and do other things.

“I’m really pleased about that.”