Dennis was under contract at Brunton Park until the summer of 2007, so like ex-manager Paul Simpson, the Cumbrians will receive some compensation from the Deepdale outfit. Simpson named the former Hull City and Aston Villa coach as his assistant manager in mid-Ocotber 2003 shortly after he had taken over the United managerial post himself on a permanent basis. Booth at the time replacing John Ward who left the club by mutual consent in order to pursue his goal of returning to management, which he was to do at Cheltenham Town a month later.
Booth and Ward were on the same coaching staff in the late 1980s under Graham Taylor, during his first spell as manager of the Villa Park club. Booth had played under Taylor at both Lincoln and Watford. He began his playing career in the mid-60s at Charlton Athletic. He moved on to Blackpool in 1972 but only played 13 games for the Bloomfield Road outfit. After leaving Blackpool he starred for Southend, Lincoln and Watford before moving in 1980 to Hull City where he ended his playing days in 1985 and took up his first coaching position.
His only stint at management came at non-league Stafford Rangers in 1992-93. As boss of the Conference side, he helped them knock out Lincoln City in the FA Cup. His most recent stint before coming up to Carlisle came as coach at Nottingham Forest when they were managed by David Platt, ex-England international Platt apparently being one of the names in the frame for the vacant top job at Brunton Park. Booth will be sorely missed by both players and fans alike and his departure leaves another big hole in the continuity of the coaching staff at the club, a club which it feels, at the moment to support, like one which is destined to kick you in the teeth every time it seems things are looking up.
In other news Cumbrians chief scout Russ Richardson has also left the the club to go to Deepdale, and at Preston themselves Director of Youth Kevin Thelwell has resigned his post, citing family reasons as the reason for his departure. Thelwell saying that he wants to get away from the day-to-day involvement of football, where that leaves the futures of Billy Barr and David Wilkes at United is anybody's guess.