Chris Beech is back in football – more than a year after his departure from Carlisle United.

The former Blues head coach has been appointed director of football at National League North club AFC Fylde.

It sees Beech take up the role some 14 months after he was sacked at Brunton Park.

And he will work alongside another former United man in Adam Murray, who was recently appointed head coach at Fylde.

The 48-year-old joins Fylde at a time they are fifth in non-league’s second tier.

The club said he would work with Murray “to establish a clear strategy and DNA” at Mill Farm.

Fylde’s executive vice-chairman Phil Humphreys said Beech had a “first-rate” football CV and would bring “an additional level of strategic knowledge, vision and dynamism”.

Beech himself, speaking on Fylde’s website said: “This is a football club and project geared for success with infrastructure already in place that exceeds many Football League clubs, with a chairman with the ambition to take this football club into the football league.

“It’s an exciting project to be part of, and I believe that I can add significant value strategically and tactically both on and off the pitch.”

He is Fylde’s first director of football.

Former Rochdale coach Beech was United’s manager from November 2019 to October 2021.

He led the Blues away from relegation danger in his first season, which was ultimately curtailed by Covid-19.

His first full campaign then saw Beech steer Carlisle to the top of League Two by January, before they fell away to tenth amid a Covid and postponement-hit second half of the season.

A poor start to 2021/22 saw United sink into relegation trouble, with Beech dismissed in October, Carlisle going on to appoint Keith Millen in his place only to axe him too in February as Paul Simpson returned.