Keith Curle: Carlisle name ex-England defender as manager

Curle was sacked after less than a year in charge of Notts County

Carlisle United have appointed Keith Curle as their new manager.

Curle, 50, replaces Graham Kavanagh, who was sacked by the bottom-of-the-table League Two side at the beginning of the month.

The former England international defender has previously been in charge of Mansfield Town, Chester, Torquay United and Notts County.

Curle, who was sacked by Notts in February 2013, has signed a contract until the end of the 2015-16 season.

Colin West, who was his number two at Meadow Lane, has joined Carlisle as assistant manager.

"This is a very real challenge. I started at the bottom in my playing career and worked my way up to the top through a lot of hard work and dedication.

"We need to do the exact same job here because it's obvious where we are in the league," Curle told the club website.

"It's been made clear to me through some very honest meetings with the board what is required and I think I can bring that to the table."

He added: "I need the supporters to get on board with me.

"I know there will be some positive and some negative reactions but I know that if they give me the opportunity, and they come into it with an open mind, then they will enjoy watching their team."

The Cumbrians are without a league win in 14 games from April 2014 and have lost five and drawn three of their eight league fixtures so far this season.

Despite their lowly league position, Carlisle managing director John Nixon on Wednesday said the club had received over 80 applications for the job.

Tony Caig and captain Paul Thirlwell had been in caretaker charge following Kavanagh's departure.