United media officer and first team kitman Andy Hall (AH) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) this evening ahead of Carlisle's pre-season friendly at Kendal, Hall not enjoying the traditional Parkside Road weather:
JP
As Steve Dunn likes to say, happy new season.
AH
It is, it seems like it is only yesterday we were on the way back from Dagenham doesn't it, it is unbelievable that it has flown by this quickly and just as a reminder of what we did last season it is battering down with as much rain as it did last time we played Kendal, so that seems to be a seasonal thing as well.
JP
Nine weeks tomorrow from when the season ended with the match with Yeovil, it is just unbelievable how quickly it does come round these days?
AH
It is and there is so much to do for the club in closed season and pre-season that it just doesn't stop. From the moment that you say goodbye to the lads on the summer break, you are doing something to get ready again for when they come back. The culmination of it all is this next four or five weeks of training, and then obviously the Notts County game which everybody is aiming towards.
JP
Still the best part of a month away from that one so it is not quite into the league season and the League Cup season and of course part of that curtain raising week, but, how ready is the club at this stage playing side aside if you know what I mean. Because, I know they will still want a bit of work, looking at trialists etc., but how ready is the club itself for the new season?
AH
We have still got things to finish off, we have got an exciting new ticketing system coming in that the girls in the office have been learning all about in the last couple of weeks. That will be ready to go obviously for when the friendlies are in place, so we are looking forward to that. We are still finishing off the tittivating around the ground and doing little bits and pieces to make sure that the stadium itself is in good nick for when the fans come back. Like you say, it all comes around so quickly, you have just got to make sure that you don't drop the ball if you don't mind the pun, keep things moving along and get yourself ready for when, not just the first game, but when the first friendly comes along.
JP
You are one of the people who works closest with of course the Carlisle boss Greg Abbott, what has he been like in comparison with other seasons while he has been getting the boys ready?
AH
I think it is the same with every manager, you watch them grow and develop and I hope I am not being disrespectful by saying that. With Greg Abbott the feet are under the table now and he is focused, he knows what he wants to do, when you get knockbacks on players which you do regularly, he takes it in his stride now as a couple of seasons ago, he probably won't mind me saying that it would be a bit of a 'right, OK, what do we do next?' There is much more structure, much more relaxed, much more focused on what he has to do and I think that rubs off on everybody around him.
JP
Speaking of all the new arrivals at Brunton Park, fans hoping for a few more I am sure, but of all of the new arrivals, we have got a few down there, you must be thinking about putting a kids play-pen in at Brunton Park?
AH
Well, we were already thinking of running a creche anyway because of the way the players act, but the number of kids that have arrived over the summer is unbelievable. There is something in that Willow Water that we use for the lads during their pre-season training because it is unbelievable isn't it, there are kids everywhere.
JP
I believe you have been doing a lot of running over the summer? How has that been going for you?
AH
Not too bad even though you are probably looking at me and thinking are you really? Yeah, myself and Clair (Fidler) who works at the club, we have entered the London Marathon next April so it is a bit serious now.
JP
Wow, so you are going to get in some fairly heavy duty training for that then?
AH
Absolutely.
JP
Well, the very best of luck, the best of luck tonight, I hope you have a good game. I know that Greg Abbott is very appreciative of Kendal Town and everything they do so a good opportunity against a side who will look to try to play football against them?
AH
He has just said to the lads in the pre-match build up there in the talk he has had in the dressing room, that you can't take this one anything less than seriously because Kendal Town always give us a tough match. It doesn't matter if we score goals or not, they will play for the 90 minutes, they will push us all the way and to be honest that is exactly what you need at this stage of pre-season.