United media officer Andy Hall (AH) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) this afternoon ahead of Carlisle's League One match at home to Crawley, Hall first talking about a bad day for Chris Lumsdon's football coupon:
JP
Currently Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2, they are in stoppage time with that one now and Chris Lumsdon getting very unhappy about things in front of us?
AH
That was quite good to watch that.
JP
It was, it was almost as amusing as watching some of the things that happen out in front of us, it often is watching Chris in truth. We all get that opportunity a week on Sunday of course, great to see Chris Lumsdon back in some form of Carlisle shirt along with one or two other minor names?
AH
Oh, it is fantastic isn't it, you have got some Premier League players coming along to show their support for Peter Murphy, and rightly so, the lad has been here forever hasn't he. He has put a big shift in for Carlisle United has Murph and the response to that is the players and hopefully the fans coming along a week on Sunday. A bit of bad news that Tom Cowan can't play, I think he has picked up a strain, probably his jaw the way he talks, but he can't come because of that. But, there are still some massive players, including that man beside you there playing a week on Sunday, so please do come along and watch that one.
JP
Yeah, come and back a great servant to the club. Speaking of the club then, the after effects of Wednesday night, how has it been, what sort of success did it bring and what sort of an experience was it for everyone?
AH
I think it was great for absolutely everybody connected with the club. It is good to test yourself on and off the pitch as to whether you can cope and deal with it. We think we did, there are a couple of lessons learned, I think there always will be no matter what you do, and we will take those forward and hopefully get more big games like that in the future. So, fantastic for everybody.
JP
I was chatting to Jon-Paul McGovern in the bowels of Brunton Park a little earlier today and I was saying that Michael Dawson's nickname when he was at Nottingham Forest was 'Awesome', all the fans called him 'Awesome Dawson' and you can see why can't you. I mean he looks standard, average even in the Premier League, but you put him against the likes of Carlisle and he was phenomenal on Wednesday?
AH
Yeah, there were a couple of standouts, I loved watching (Jan) Vertonghen the big lad, I think he got the first goal didn't he, what a player for me he was. When you are looking at one of the genuine top clubs in the country playing on your pitch you want more of it. I am sure the younger lads in the squad will look at that and aspire to it if they possibly can, because the levels of fitness, the physique, the way they conducted themselves, the professionalism top to bottom including the manager (Andre Villas-Boas), that is what being a Premier League club is all about, it was a pleasure to have them here on Wednesday night.
JP
I guess the hope now, the legacy if you like from that big tie with Tottenham was that you hope that one or two of those extra fans who came to see United and hopefully enjoyed their night, even though it was a defeat for the club on the pitch, but it was a great effort. But, you would hope that a few of those will come back now and maybe carry on enjoying it and it is down to the team today to make sure they serve up a good performance and maybe a win to keep those fans here I suppose?
AH
Well, that is it, it is back to reality now isn't it. That was a night for everybody to enjoy, this is one where it is all about getting the points and keeping it going. Because, we want to be top half at the very least, we want to be, if we are honest, in the play-offs because if we are going to continue that mantra of improving year on year that is where we have to be. So, that is what it is all about and to do that you have got to win your home games, build on it, away from home at the moment we have turned that on its head, we are winning the away games and getting the draws at home. So, we are unbeaten, that is important, and if we can just keep that going and keep the push going it will be another successful season.
JP
Yeah, on this today, we are hoping to pick up the win but every fan I have spoken to or I have seen tweets from seems to see United by two clear goals at least winning this one today. I think maybe one or two are underestimating this Crawley side who have come up from League Two?
AH
Ah, it is Richie Barker as well, he won't suffer fools, and if his team aren't playing well he will be there urging them on. He has got some good players in there, we are talking about Gary Alexander, what a career he has had, and he is going to be playing upfront today, the kind of striker at this level if you leave him alone he will hurt you. It is right through the team, there are some really good established League One, League Two, lower league players. So, if we don't take it seriously we are going to get a little bit of a smack on the backside, so we don't want that.
JP
And if you are wondering about the sort of money that Crawley do have behind them, there are rumours, we know they had financial trouble a few years ago, but there are rumours about them having heck of a lot behind them now. Paul Jones was the ever present number one for Peterborough last year, he turned them down this summer to sign for Crawley, and that surely tells you something?
AH
It is a message isn't it, it is a message from Crawley that they have got the cash to splash around. Having had the difficulties you just hope that they are going to back up going forward as well, because that is the danger. We could all do it, we could all go out and buy the best players tomorrow and where would it leave you in six, seven, eight months time. So, that is what we have to do as a club is get our signings right, and we think we are because we are competing with absolutely everybody who comes our way.
JP
I hope there are still a few come, I know it won't be twelve and a half thousand, we would all love it if it was, I am sure the fans would love to be here if they could, those who of course can't afford it, so I am not pressuring them, but whatever we do get today let's hope it is a positive result?
AH
Absolutely, and just a quick warning that the manager (Greg Abbott) probably won't be up for the post-match, it will be Kav (Graham Kavanagh). The manager has got a very close relationship with today's sponsors Thomas Graham & Sons, so he is going to be with them in the sponsors lounge, I would imagine it will be Kav who will do the post-match.
JP
I do hope you have won though because Kav terrifies me when you have been beaten?
AH
Indeed, and me.