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AC
Since Saturday I have done some research, it is good club, I have been up today and it is a top group of lads, I couldn't have asked for anything better today. The gaffer (Greg Abbott) again has got me in the office and told me what he wants. He just wants me playing with a lot of energy and do what I do for the reserves and hopefully now three points is on the line I can go another step further and get my own career going as well. So it is win-win for (Manchester) City, me and Carlisle hopefully.
JP
And there are plenty of Carlisle United fans who can only dream about knowing what it is like to be inside Manchester City, why don't you tell them a bit about that dream?
AC
Well, to be fair, you can't beat it really can you, I have been training with players like Robinho, (Emmanuel) Adebayor and (Carlos) Tevez. For me as a Manchester City fan, never mind a Carlisle fan, there is nothing better is there. But I need games so the gaffer has given me a chance here and I am going to try just as hard if not more at Carlisle than I will at Man City.
JP
As a Manchester City fan it must be surprising almost, given the last few years, to actually see them there?
AC
Yeah, well the first day Robinho came, I have never really been star-struck in front of anyone, and he walked in and it was 'wow, it is Robinho.' Then this season is it (Gareth) Barry, Adebayor, Tevez and then in training the standard is just different, it is a joke sometimes. Sometimes you just have to stand back and think 'wow, how do they do things like that?' But with me learning off them, hopefully then I will become a better player off that and now I can take it into the proper games for Carlisle.
JP
If you want to take an example maybe of one of those well known names at your club, who would you aspire to be like as you develop as a player?
AC
I don't know, in my position there is Stephen Ireland, (Nigel) de Jong, I would like to be a mix of Stephen Ireland and de Jong to be honest. Because I like attacking but I like the defensive side of it as well, getting stuck in and stuff, so hopefully that would give me a bit of both.
JP
Tom Taiwo has come in from Chelsea this year and he has come from reserve football and really proved he can step up and prove that you can do it and get those chances at this level, are you hoping to do that?
AC
Definitely, I think my career needs to start now, I have been playing reserve football now for two years, so coming here now to start and hopefully do what Tom has done and be a good player for the team.
JP
And has the indication been to you in getting you up here from somebody at Manchester City, that Carlisle United is a good place to develop young players and try to give you those chances that you perhaps don't get at Eastlands?
AC
Of course, the gaffer obviously was interested in me last season as well, he wanted me to play, he thinks I am a good player and to me that is what I need. If I know the gaffer knows I am a good player then I can go out and do my stuff, and the feedback from Glyn (Hodges - City reserve team manager) was that it is a great club to go to.
JP
And you come to the club, you have come from reserve team football and youth team football, all of a sudden you are at a club who in recent years have had to fight a bit against the threat of relegation. Hopefully now pulling away from that, are you ready for that change almost in emphasis in a game?
AC
Yeah, of course, I need it to go on now. I need the tough times where Graham Kavanagh digs in and stuff, I need to do those sort of things now and prove that I can do it. So hopefully if we are 1-0 down or something I can be the one that rolls his sleeves up next to him and then we get a goal and then we go on and win the game, things like that. It is all experience isn't it, so I need it.
JP
How about playing in front of these arenas, obviously it is not quite Eastlands here at Brunton Park, but are you ready to play in front of bigger crowds than will you get at the level you have played at?
AC
To be fair I have just got back from a World Cup and I played in front of 30,000 people, and that was the first time I have really played in front of that many people. It gives you an extra special burst if you like, especially if they are cheering for you, they were just people watching. But I can't wait to be honest, if I score a goal I am going to go straight into the end, that is all I am saying.
JP
Are you going to have your family up here watching you as well I would have thought?
AC
My Dad has not missed a game since I was seven, so I doubt he is going to miss my first league game or my first FA Cup game.
JP
And seven I am led to believe is when you started at Manchester City, that is 13 years of growing up there.
AC
Testimonial isn't it, I started at seven, didn't sign professional until I was nine, you weren't allowed back in those days.
JP
So you really have gone through all the changes at Eastlands, because four or five years back they were threatened by administration weren't they?
AC
Well I was going to watch League One games with City, City were getting beat by Bury 1-0 at Maine Road. Then within the space of three or four years it was Adebayor signing so City is a mad, very, very mad team, you don't know what is going on and when it is going to go on. They do it the hard way but they are going to go from strength to strength I think.
JP
Given those wonder signings do you know if in your heart of hearts if you have a longer term future at Manchester City, or do you come to Carlisle maybe looking to prove yourself at another club, or and to other clubs?
AC
Well I have trained with them and I personally think that I do OK. I think I can play in that team but for me if it is not going to work at City then it is not going to work. But I still have it in my brain that I am going to play for Manchester City and Carlisle could be my first stepping stone towards that. So I have just got to go wherever I go and play as well as I can and try as hard as I can and see where it gets me.
JP
I am sure if it is a stepping stone to being in the Manchester City first team, you are going to enjoy it here at Carlisle United and they are going to enjoy you.
AC
Yeah, I can't wait, I just can't wait to run out in front of the fans, it is going to be a buzz, I can't wait.