Former Newcastle United coach joins Carlisle United

The former Newcastle United man, who had a spell on the Blues' backroom staff in 2007/8, is joining the club on a short-term basis.

Smith will provide cover in the role after this week’s departure of Paul Gerrard.

United will then bring in a permanent replacement for Gerrard, with their chosen candidate currently working his notice at another club.

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Smith, 60, will oversee things in the goalkeeping department as players return for the start of pre-season training.

The coach was most recently with Newcastle as their head of goalkeeping, before he left St James’ Park last summer after seven years – a period which included a spell working with Paul Simpson during the United boss’s time as assistant manager to Steve McClaren.

Smith, back centre, pictured with his fellow Carlisle coaches before the 2007/8 season (Image: Stewart Blair)

Smith had an earlier five-year spell with the Magpies while he has coached at the Football Association, in the USA and Canada, and has run his own coaching company.

Simpson, speaking at Tuesday night’s fans’ forum at Brunton Park, said: “As of tomorrow I’ve got a short-term replacement, a guy called Simon Smith, who has been here before, and who I worked with when I was at Newcastle.

“He’s tried to retire but I’ve persuaded him to dust off his gloves and come out of retirement.

“It will be short-term. I don’t know why he’s retired, because he’s only a young bloke…

“I do have a [long-term] replacement who’s coming in, who has to work his notice, who I’m really pleased with.

Paul Gerrard left United this week (Image: Richard Parkes)

“In the short-term I’ve got a really good goalkeeping coach to come in and work with the keepers, and then in the long-term I’ve also really pleased with what I’ve got.

“So it’s taken care of, it’s all been dealt with really quickly and hopefully the goalkeepers will get some good work.”

Gerrard this week left United after a 15-month spell.

Simpson said of the coach’s departure: “We thought we’d agreed it with Gez then he decided last week that he didn’t want to stay, so he’s moved on.”

Smith - who was also briefly on United's books as a player in the 1990s - will be working with first-team keepers Tomas Holy and Gabe Breeze, with the Blues' other two professional glovemen, Michael Kelly and Scott Simons, having been released at the end of last season.