Carlisle United Football Club are delighted to welcome Paul Gerrard who takes over as first-team keeper coach with immediate effect.
Gerrard, 49, brings a wealth of experience to the role with over 350 professional appearances to his name.
He started as a youngster with Oldham, where he blossomed quickly to take the number one shirt. 136 outings caught the eye of Everton, and he was snapped up by the Toffees for a reported £1m fee whilst still only 23.
He made 99 appearances at Goodison, and also enjoyed loan spells with Oxford, Ipswich, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest, before making the move to Nottingham a permanent one in 2004.
His first step into coaching came with Oldham in 2010, where he also deputised for Dean Brill, and he has also guided the stoppers with Shrewsbury, and most recently with Doncaster Rovers.
Manager Paul Simpson said: “Paul is very experienced, both as a player and as a goalkeeper coach.
“I think it’s a specialist position and that’s why I wanted to address it quickly. Mark [Howard] has taken the coaching on for the keepers since Dan [Hanford] left, but I want him to focus on being a goalkeeper.
“He doesn’t need the additional responsibility of planning the sessions, and things like that.
“They’re strange, goalkeepers, a bunch on their own. You need somebody who’s got that knowledge to be able to work with them and do that sort of stuff.
“Paul is an excellent coach, he comes highly recommended, and I know he’ll be a positive addition at a time when that’s exactly what we need.
“I think we’ve got some good young keepers, and we have Magnus and Mark, so we’ve got to give them the expert help they need.
“Paul brings that, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
