St Mirren's O'Carroll appointed U21s Lead at Newcastle United

St Mirren Assistant Diarmuid O'Carroll has been appointed as Newcastle United’s new Under-21s Lead Coach.

The 37-year-old will be assisted initially by Head of Coach Development Jack Ross, who has been in interim charge of Newcastle's U21s alongside Neil Winskill. Meanwhile, Winskill, who was previously Head of Methodology, has taken on the new position of Head of Technical Development.

O’Carroll, 37, has joined Newcastle from St Mirren, where he had been Assistant since February 2022. Alongside his job there, he has also been a senior coach for Northern Ireland’s men’s team since March 2023 and will continue in that role despite joining Newcastle.

O’Carroll played professionally in Scotland, England, Iceland and Northern Ireland and was capped at Under-21 level by the Republic of Ireland. He took on youth coaching positions in the United States and with Motherwell U18s before becoming Assistant to Stephen Robinson at Morecambe and then St Mirren.

"I'm really excited to come in," O’Carroll said. "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."

Academy Director Steve Harper said: “I’m delighted Diarmuid has accepted the opportunity. He is a young, progressive and ambitious coach and will play a key role in supporting our talent pathway into the first team.

“I’d also like to thank Jack Ross, Neil Winskill and everyone connected with the U21s for their hard work and collaborative approach while we recruited into this position.

“We have gone through a rigorous process, and in Diarmuid, we have an exceptional coach and person joining us. I’d like to welcome him to the Newcastle United family.”

Sporting Director Paul Mitchell added: “Diarmuid is a very highly regarded coach and is a great fit for the profile we have been looking to recruit. He has amassed a wealth of experience during the formative years of his coaching career, working across youth, men’s and women’s club football and at international level.

“The Academy is a cornerstone of our sporting strategy and Diarmuid’s role is a crucial one in preparing players for the next significant step in their development journeys. The Academy has produced exceptional players over recent years, and we look forward to supporting Steve Harper, Diarmuid and our Academy team in continuing to build on that excellent record.”