Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson has been explaining how football players react to their club making a new signing.
United have just added to their squad by signing Carlisle-born Paul Huntington, a stalwart of over 400 League and Cup games and 10 years with Preston North End.
Simpson told the club website: “It’s a signing that has got to boost the group. Thinking back to when I was a player, when your club makes a signing you tend to look at it and think either ‘why has he come in’ or ‘wow, he makes us better’.
“I think people will look at Paul coming into the club and they’ll think he’ll make us better. He’s got good pedigree, and to play at the level he has for as long as he has doesn’t come through luck. He’s got something about him.
“Now we have to get him fit as soon as we can, but not too soon so it’s a risk, and hope he can bring that knowledge and experience into our group which will ultimately make us better.
“We had a meeting with him this morning to find out exactly what he’s done and to talk about what our plan is with him to get him fit.
“Paul is very knowledgeable as well, and he’s a deep thinker who knows what he needs and what his body needs.
“We’ll keep working with him and building him up into the group. The base fitness is there for him. He’s in really good shape and he obviously looks after himself. What we have to do is get the football fitness into him.
“We wondered if the Papa Johns Trophy group game at the end of the month is a target for his first full appearance.
“I’m looking and thinking I’d like it to be before that if I’m going to be honest. I’d like to think we can work with him and get him to the required level for the Gillingham game.
“We’re hoping for a bounce game for him. Now we have a free week after Stevenage, there’s a possibility we might try and get something in then, even if it’s to get him 60 minutes.”
Simpson has also praised the board for the backing he’s received in adding the final touches to his squad.
He said: “I’m really pleased we’ve got it done, delighted the board have backed us to do it. We are now pushing the budget to the limit, but they’ve realised there’s a need for strengthening.
“They’re trying to find extra funds to make it as strong as we possibly can. I think we’re all enjoying the positivity that’s going on at the moment and we want to make sure we keep it.”
