Following Mike Williamson’s sacking last week, Carlisle – the club Newcastle United talent Charlie McArthur joined on loan last month – have appointed a familiar name as their new manager. 

There was plenty of movement from within our Under-21 squad this month with several of Diarmuid O’Carroll’s squad being sent to gain experience in the men’s game in the lower leagues of English football, or in the case of Travis Hernes to Danish side Aalborg BK.

McArthur would’ve been surprise to see Steven Gerrard linked with the job earlier this week following his departure from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, but it’s a former Man City manager who has today landed the League Two vacancy.

Premier League veteran takes Carlisle job

After leaving Tyneside to join Mike Williamson Carlisle last month, Newcastle loanee Charlie McArthur and former Mag Paul Dummett will now be playing under ex-Man City boss Mark Hughes. 

The Scottish centre-back was moved across to Cumbria under the tutelage of fellow centre-back Williamson who liked to play an attractive style of football that saw Carlisle struggle to the bottom of the fourth tier. 

An ambitious yet unlikely move for Gerrard was touted by Carlisle’s American owners, but the club have today appointed Hughes.

After a run of starts under Williamson, hopefully the 61-year-old hands plenty of opportunities to McArthur, who had made an impressive start to life at Carlisle, by all accounts.

Hughes has managed Blackburn, Man City, Fulham, QPR, Stoke City and Southampton in the Premier League, but his most recent job saw him manage Bradford City in League Two.

Two Mags set for new manager’s after moves

McArthur was clearly fancied by Williamson and was given a full 90 minutes in each game with Iron Mike at the helm, with his departure the second managerial dismissal overseen by our cohort of loanees sent out last month. 

Alex Murphy had barely even seen the training pitch at Bolton Wanderers when Ian Evatt was sacked straight after his arrival. The Irishman has since gone on to start the first game under new boss Steven Schumacher, playing on the left of a back five in a 1-0 win over Reading.

Though it isn’t an ideal start to life on loan for either defender, it’s far too early to come to a conclusion on either deal. As long as both develop as young professionals and continue to be given minutes at a competitive level, then the negative impacts of the early managerial changes should be minimal.