Former Carlisle United favourite Paul Murray has briefly taken charge at managerless Oldham Athletic.

The ex-Blues midfielder and coach, who is academy manager at the National League club, has stepped up as the Latics prepare to name their new boss.

Oldham announced that Murray was taking training ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Altrincham.

It comes after the departures of interim boss Steve Thompson and assistant Neil Redfearn.

They had been the club's caretaker regime after the recent sacking of David Unsworth.

Thompson had designs on the job permanently but Oldham are now set to look elsewhere.

Murray, 47, returned to Boundary Park in the summer for a second spell as head of the club's academy.

The Cumbrian has also been assisting Thompson at first-team level following Unsworth's departure.

Oldham, in a statement, said: "Steve Thompson and Neil Redfearn have left their position as the interim management team ahead of the club making its next appointment.

"We would like to place on record our thanks to Steve and Neil for their work in taking charge of the first team during recent weeks.

"Academy manager Paul Murray will oversee training ahead of Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup tie against Altrincham.

"An announcement in relation to the managerial position will be made in due course."

News and Star: Cumbrian Murray had two spells as a player at Carlisle and later returned as first-team coachCumbrian Murray had two spells as a player at Carlisle and later returned as first-team coach (Image: Stuart Walker)

Murray started his career at Brunton Park, bursting through the youth system to star in the first team before going on to play for QPR and earning England Under-21 and B honours.

He later played for Southampton, Oldham and Portuguese club Beira-Mar before returning for a second United spell from 2006 to 2007.

After further moves to Gretna, Shrewsbury Town, Hartlepool United and Oldham again, he had a coaching spell with the Latics before a short-lived stint as Hartlepool manager in 2014.

Murray, after a spell at Barrow, was then a development coach at Fleetwood Town before returning to Carlisle as first-team coach under John Sheridan in 2018.

After a spell in joint caretaker charge under Tommy Wright, he left the following summer under Sheridan's successor Steven Pressley. Murray was academy boss at Oldham from 2019 to 2021 and, after a spell at Blackpool, rejoined the club in the summer.