Former Carlisle United youth supremo Eric Kinder reckons Darren Edmondson has all the ingredients to help the club produce top young talent.

New academy boss Edmondson will meet the club's youth players for the first time today as he starts life back at Brunton Park.

And Kinder, who presided over a successful seven-year spell in the role before joining Blackburn in 2013, says the former Carlisle favourite ought to be a perfect fit.

Kinder told the News & Star : "I think it's a very good appointment and I'm sure the fans will be pleased to see someone with Darren's history with the club looking after the youth side.

"I got to know Darren well in my time as youth coach at Carlisle, when he was Workington manager, and we loaned some players to him.

"I spoke to him last week and said if I can help him in any way I am just at the end of the phone.

"But I am sure he already has the contacts and experience, as well as his knowledge of the club, to make a real success of it."

Former 1990s favourite Edmondson returned to the club after spells as manager of Workington, Barrow and Bradford Park Avenue.

Kinder says the 44-year-old will have to adjust to the different demands of being an academy manager.

He added: "In the EPPP [Elite Player Performance Plan] you seem to spend more time on the laptop these days than on the grass. You have to record everything.

"But Darren's an intelligent bloke and, having spent his working life at college, he will find that easy enough.

"Hopefully he will bring on some young players for the future of Carlisle United. It is an enjoyable and very satisfying job when you see one of your young players in the first team and doing well."

Edmondson says his priority is to pinpoint the best young talent in Cumbria, but insists he will not disregard young players from outside the county.

Kinder, who brought the likes of Gary Madine, Mark Gillespie and Brad Potts through at Carlisle, agrees that an open-minded view on recruitment is the best way forward.

"My ambition was always to have a youth team full of lads from Cumbria," he said. "If you want the very best youth team at all times, that isn't always possible, and you've got to look outside the county.

"But one thing Darren will have from his time at Workington and Barrow is excellent contacts in those areas of Cumbria and no doubt further afield.

"David Wilkes will help him with all his experience, and while the industry is completely different from when Darren was himself coming through as a trainee, that time can still only benefit him.

"He is a likeable bloke and he loves Carlisle - if you have that you've got a chance."

At first-team level, meanwhile, Jabo Ibehre and Reggie Lambe are expected to join the squad for pre-season training today.

Boss Keith Curle gave striker Ibehre extra time off at the end of the close-season, while Lambe was granted a longer break after being on Bermuda international duty earlier this month.

Several trialists are also expected to link up with United, with Curle opening his doors to the media for an open training session at Creighton.

*PENRITH say they will be hosting United in a friendly on Monday, August 1 at 7pm. Carlisle have yet to officially announce the fixture.