Carlisle United's struggling League Two rivals Hartlepool United have turned to former Blues boss Keith Curle.
He has been appointed interim manager at the north east club following the sacking of Paul Hartley.
Curle's appointment was confirmed just hours after Hartley paid the price for Pools' poor start to the season.
And it will pit the 58-year-old against his former club when Carlisle visit Victoria Park early next month.
READ MORE: Second League Two managerial sacking in one day
After Hartley's sacking just nine games into the league campaign, 58-year-old Curle was brought in along with his former Carlisle No2 Colin West - a former Pools striker - with ex-Blues midfielder Antony Sweeney also part of the coaching set-up.
Colin West, left, will assist Curle at Hartlepool (photo: Stuart Walker) (Image: Stuart Walker)
The Monkey Hangers say Curle, who has been abroad for several days, will link up with the club on Wednesday, with Sweeney taking charge for Tuesday’s Football League Trophy game against Morecambe.
It sees Curle back in football ten months after his most recent managerial spell at Oldham Athletic came to an end.
Hartlepool are second bottom of League Two. In a statement, chairman Raj Singh said: "We fully recognise the need to act decisively and quickly given our position.
"Keith has a lot of experience and know how at this level, including turnarounds and achieving promotion into League One with a side [Northampton Town] just two years ago.
"He has a profile that we believe is needed at this time to immediately step in, [shore] things up and start moving the team forward again.
Antony Sweeney, left, will also be part of Curle's coaching team (photo: Barbara Abbott) (Image: Barbara Abbott)
"He has already spoken to Tony Sweeney today, who has previously done caretaker duties, to ask him to re-join the first team coaching staff and alongside Colin they will hit the ground running this week.”
Carlisle will take on Curle's new team at the Suit Direct Stadium on Saturday, October 8.
It is the ground where he enjoyed one of his most memorable league wins as Carlisle manager - a 3-2 comeback victory in 2015 inspired by goals from Jabo Ibehre and Tom Miller, after ex-Blues striker Billy Paynter had put the hosts ahead.
The Bristolian, who managed United from 2014-18, watched the Blues at Mansfield Town last week in a co-commentary role on BBC Radio Cumbria.
Hartley was one of two fourth-tier managers to be sacked on Sunday, with Colchester United's Wayne Brown also axed.
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