Carlisle United manager Keith Curle has agreed an extension to his contract with the club that will keep him at Brunton Park until June 2018.

The announcement, which was made prior to Curle’s side’s sensational 4-3 League Two victory at Luton Town, confirmed that the former Notts County boss has been given the longest managerial contract that United have awarded since John Ward’s four-year deal in 2007.

The future of the Blues boss has been under scrutiny throughout this season, with little light having been shed on the issue of his contract with the club. Whilst he hasn’t yet put pen to paper on the extension, it is thought that he will sign the terms imminently.

And, in a statement, chairman Andrew Jenkins praised the “focus and impetus” brought to the club by Curle, and expressed satisfaction at his “realignment of the club's footballing focus”.

“I am very pleased that Keith has agreed the extension as he has brought a new focus and impetus to the club over the course of the last 12 months,” said Jenkins. “He successfully steered us away from relegation last season and has continued the good work by building a stronger squad and by implementing a realignment of the club's footballing focus.”

However, speaking to BBC Radio Cumbria, United’s financial director Suzanne Kidd confirmed only Curle had agreed to a contract extension at present and not any of his backroom staff.

It is believed, though, that whilst his coaching team of Lee Dykes, Colin West and Simon Tracey’s deals run out in the summer, extensions may be pursued then.

“I think what’s been agreed at the moment has been very much focussed on Keith, as the head of the department, the manager of the club, and I think he then puts his ducks in a row really,” said Kidd. “The work’s been done with Keith, and it doesn’t exclude his staff, but at this moment in time the agreement is with Keith and we’re working towards putting pen to paper.”