O'Carroll named Newcastle United Under-21 manager

Diarmuid O'Carroll is part of Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland backroom team

Diarmuid O'Carroll has been appointed as Newcastle United's reserve team manager after leaving his role as assistant to Stephen Robinson at Scottish Premiership side St Mirren.

O'Carroll will take charge of the Magpies' Under-21s team in Premier League 2 but will continue in his role with Northern Ireland.

The 37-year-old is part of Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill's backroom coaching team and previously served as a coach under Robinson at both Motherwell and Morecambe.

"I'm really excited to come in," O'Carroll told the club's website.

"It's a role I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into. The club speaks for itself in terms of the size, stature and fanbase.

"It's a really exciting time now as well with the ownership and everything that is planned going forward. The opportunity to come in is something I would've never expected, but when it come across my desk, it was a really exciting one and a quick process."

The former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international won Irish Premiership winners' medals with Belfast sides Crusaders and Cliftonville during his playing career.

Newcastle's Head of Coach Development Jack Ross, plus Neil Winskill, have been standing in as Newcastle's Under-21 managers on a temporary basis since the departure of Ben Dawson to join Steve Cooper's backroom team at Leicester City at the start of the summer.

Ross will initially assist O'Carroll, while Winskill will move into a new position as the club academy’s Head of Technical Development.