John Sheridan's backroom staff at Carlisle United took further shape today when the Blues boss brought in his former Oldham and Chesterfield No2 Tommy Wright as his assistant manager.

The 52-year-old Scot joined the Blues to link up again with Sheridan ahead of next Thursday's return for pre-season training.

The new boss is also understood to be closing in on a third summer signing after this week's captures of Gary Miller and Macaulay Gillesphey.

Wright, who has signed a two-year deal, said he is excited to be part of the new era at United, who will start their 2018/19 season with a trip to Exeter.

He said: "Me and Shez have worked together before and had quite a bit of success.

"First and foremost he's one of my best friends, but I'm not here because I'm his friend – I'm here to help him achieve success at Carlisle.

"We've always had this thing about Carlisle even when we've come here years ago. Shez said he thought there was potential here and I think he always had it in the back of his mind that it was a club he'd like to manage.

"I remember winning here with Oldham and it more or less relegated you when Kav was manager [in 2014], but that's probably the only time I've won here as it's always been a tough place to come to.

"I always thought the fans were a bit hostile, but not in a bad way - they're behind the team, and as an away manager or coach you tend to get a bit of stick from the Paddock behind you.

"It's a club with a lot of potential and it can kick on."

Sheridan and Wright, team-mates at Leeds in their playing days, worked together as manager and assistant at Oldham from 2006, both then moving to Chesterfield from 2009-12.

A later spell at Barnsley ended when Wright was sacked following reports that he took a £5,000 payment from undercover national newspaper reporters posing as agents. He denied any wrongdoing in relation to breaching rules over transfers or breaking any criminal law.

He teamed up with Sheridan again at Oldham last year and the former winger said of his new role: "It's like getting on a bike – once you fall off, you get back on.

"It can be a very lonely job at times but that feeling in the dressing room 10 minutes after a game when you've won...you can't buy that.

"There were one or two other things I looked at and thought about, but I just felt that, with John, there is real potential here.

"Carlisle came close under Keith [Curle] a couple of years ago, and had a good run last year towards the end.

"There are good players here, I've worked with a couple of them before, and there's a bit of a foundation to build on.

"It's our job as coaches and managers to make the players better as individuals and as a team. That's always the way I've looked at it.

"I don't think John and I agree on everything, but we're honest with each other and John's say is final.

"I've also worked with Muzza [first-team coach Paul Murray] before and hopefully we'll be a successful team."

The newly-published League Two fixtures this morning handed United their second-longest trip of the campaign first up, at Exeter, with the Blues ending the season with a trek to Yeovil.

Sheridan, speaking at the United for Business fixtures breakfast, described the long start and finish as a "joke", saying he would have preferred shorter trips for the sake of the Blues' supporters.

"But I'm sure we will take a couple of thousand if we get promoted at Yeovil," he added.

"It's a difficult division, a lot of teams will fancy they can get out of the league, and we will be one of them.

"We now have to get on with it and prepare the team as best we can."

United's Carabao Cup first round tie against Blackburn has been confirmed for Tuesday, August 14, kick-off 7.45pm.

Sheridan remains hopeful of securing opposition for a home friendly on Saturday, July 28.