His nickname is Nobby, but Kevin Nolan jokes it should be Rigsby after putting up Andy Carroll.

Nolan watched Rising Damp as a kid and Carroll has been cast as Richard Beckinsale’s young, long-haired lodger Alan since he moved into Newcastle star Nolan’s home as part of his bail conditions.

The Toon skipper has enforced a disciplined regime on Carroll and he has been sending him to bed at 11 and getting him up before eight so that the two likely lads can do the school run.

“The lads probably should call me Rigsby,” he joked. “Funnily enough, I was watching Rising Damp the other night and I laughed.

“It was one of my dad’s favourite programmes. I must say I’m not like Rigsby as a landlord.

“In saying that, he has got to be in for half-10 and he’s got to be in bed for 11.

“What I have learnt is he’s always asleep at the wrong time. So I’ve been getting him to bed early and up early to do the school run with me.

“He gets up at 10 to eight and we leave at five past. We then have our breakfast here at the training ground. I don’t know if he likes it, but that’s the way it is.

“My kids are four and nine months and normally house guests get asked to read the bedtime stories, but he hasn’t been asked yet.

“My wife has been in Liverpool and when she comes back up this weekend, she will ask him to go and read them a book.”

Carroll is free to move out now his bail conditions have been changed and Nolan was happy to help him out, although he admits his family were shocked when the striker’s car was torched on their driveway.

Carroll should be well rested for tomorrow’s Tyne-Wear derby and former Bolton man Nolan is glad he is not up against the England Under-21 star.

“I don’t want to big him up too much because I live with him and everyone will think I love him!” he joked.

“But I’d certainly rather have him on my team than play against him.

“I’ve not seen a lad as young as him in my time as good as him in the air, so powerful.”

Newcastle’s preparations have been overshadowed by the frenzy over Chris Hughton’s future.

And the Toon boss has been knocked back in a bid to bring Steve Clarke in as his No.2 to replace Colin Calderwood.

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