Defender Dan Kirkup is to take over from his “best mate” Jim Nichols as manager of Carlisle City in the Northern League.
Following Nichols’ decision to stand-down from the role after six years in the hot seat, Kirkup has taken on the job ahead of the 2024/25 season.
The 36-year-old Kirkup told Cumbria Crack: “Our chairman had asked me to take the lads in training as we were getting back for pre-season and it sort of went from there.
“We have lost three players – Jack Dickenson, Sam Atkinson and Jordan Holt – to Gretna and there were suggestions that a few more were going.
“I had a chat with the players and they more or less said that if I took the job they would stay, so that’s what has happened.
“I’m in the process of talking to potential new signings and I honestly think that if we can get two or three in we won’t be far away from where we were last season when we finished eighth in the First Division.”
Kirkup runs his own coaching academy for youngsters in Haltwhistle and had always set his sights on coaching at senior level one day.
He says: “It’s maybe come 12 months sooner than I expected because I had planned to play-for another season and then retire. It’s made me think now, though, whether I should still be playing after taking on the managerial role.
“I must say, though, that Jim Nichols is my best mate and he has been extremely supportive since he knew I had been given the job. I had a meeting with him the other night.
“I’ve been around the Northern League for a while now and I know what clubs pay their players.
“When I see what City’s budget is, and they are competing against clubs with twice or three times this budget, you realise what a great job Jim has done over the last two years in getting as high as we have in the First Division.”
Kirkup started his career with Carlisle United and had loan spells with Southport, Clyde and Workington before being released by the Blues and he spent time in New Zealand with Hawkes Bay United before returning home.
He has since played for several teams in the north east and knows the Northern League very well.
Today he announced that his number two will be a former Carlisle City player in Michael Slack, who works with youngsters in the Carlisle United Foundation scheme.
He is probably better known in Cumbrian sporting circles for his cricket – professional with Carlisle and captain of Cumbria.
“Michael is injured at the moment and not playing his cricket, and in fact is due to have a knee operation in about a month. We’ve had a discussion and he has agreed to join me as number two with City,” said Kirkup.
