Barr The Latest To Head Down the M6

Billy Barr

Barr, who had been granted a testimonial at the club in the coming campaign for a decade of service at Brunton Park, has been unveiled as Paul Simpson's new first-team coach at Deepdale, replacing Julian Darby who left North End last Thursday. 37-year old Barr following Simpson and ex-United assistant boss Dennis Booth in departing Cumbria for Lancashire, and so leaving new Blues manager Neil McDonald with a coaching staff of himself, and er, that's it.

Barr, originally signed as a player from Crewe by then Carlisle boss Mervyn Day in 1997, and he quickly established himself as a valuable member of the Brunton Park coaching team after a knee injury forced him into early retirement in 2000. He was also United's caretaker manager for four months after Roddy Collins' first sacking in 2002, Barr becoming one of Simpson's most trusted lieutenants, as well as leading United to a reserve team title last season.

The ex-Halifax man actually applied for the vacant United managerial post when Simpson' replacement was being sought last month, but he was overlooked in favour of Neil McDonald. Barr also turned down an offer from an unnamed League Two club at the start of the season to become their assistant manager, but the lure of Championship football was seemingly too much for him to turn down as his departure leaves United with big coaching staff problems at such a vital pre-season point.