John Carver returns as Newcastle assistant manager

John Carver has returned to Newcastle as assistant manager to Alan Pardew.

The 46-year-old, who fulfilled the same role when the late Sir Bobby Robson was in charge of the Magpies, has signed a contract until the end of the season.

Pardew told www.nufc.co.uk: "I'm delighted to be bringing John on board. He has an excellent track record as a coach and of course knows this club very well."

After leaving St James' Park following Robson's sacking in 2004, Carver worked under Kevin Blackwell at Leeds and Luton while he also spent just over a year as manager of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.

He returned to England in 2009 and became assistant to Plymouth boss Paul Mariner before moving on again to Sheffield United, who he left last month after the Blades appointed Micky Adams as manager.

Carver said: "I am proud and honoured to be able to come back once again to my home-town club.

"I have been lucky to be able to work around the world with some excellent people. However, I have always been a fan of this magnificent club and the years I spent working here were some of the happiest of my life.

"I am looking forward to working with Alan Pardew and building on the recent strides that the club has taken to get back to where we belong, at the top of English football."

Carver first joined Newcastle as a 14-year-old in 1979 but, after turning professional four years later, he suffered a serious thigh injury and left the club without playing a first-team game.

His last game at St James' Park was a happier occasion as, in his only match as caretaker manager, he oversaw a 3-0 victory over Blackburn in September 2004.

Carver's appointment completes Pardew's backroom team, and the Toon boss expects the arrangement to be extended at the end of the season.

Pardew added: "It was crucial for me that I brought in an assistant who I knew would work well with the current coaching team we have here.

"We've got a good solid set-up with some excellent staff and maintaining that stability is very important to me. John fitted the bill perfectly.

"It's a short-term deal at the moment in order that I can get to know John better and it gives us both the chance to see how the next four months pan out working together.

"That said, I'm very confident he'll be a great addition to our coaching staff and hopefully, if things go well, we can make it a longer-term appointment come the summer."

Today's news means Carver is now out of the frame to be part of the Wales coaching team under Gary Speed, with whom he worked at Sheffield United.