New United signing Andy Welsh (AW) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Newton (PN) earlier today after signing a two-year deal with Carlisle, Welsh first speaking about how and why he decided to turn down a new contract at Huish Park :
AW
Probably a couple of weeks ago my agent mentioned that Greg (Abbott) had spoken to him and he had shown great interest in me, he wanted to speak to me straight away. I have met up with him and unfortunately for Yeovil I have decided to sign here, I just feel what Greg was saying what the club have done last year and being able to keep hold of the players shows ambition, and himself, the things he was saying, he sounds very ambitious. Hopefully that is what I can bring to him and what I portrayed as well is that I am very ambitious and I want to move my career on to the level I have been at before, and hopefully I can help, I keep saying Greg but I should say the gaffer now, help him do this with Carlisle as well.
PN
Was is it a difficult decision to leave Yeovil? Because, you were out of contract, they offered you a new deal, did you have to think long and hard about that?
AW
It was a difficult decision, we were settled in Somerset but with the new addition to the family, this location is a lot closer to Manchester and the family that we have in Glasgow as well. I just felt it was time for a change for myself as well just to freshen myself up. People may say I have only been at the club at Yeovil for three years but I think this is a great opportunity to come to a club that has just won the Johnstone’s Paint and is looking to build on from that next year.
Up until the Johnstone’s Paint started they were going really well in the league and the gaffer here has said that if it wasn’t for the Johnstone’s Paint, which was a good thing, who knows what we could have done? So, those things he is saying shows ambition to me. Unfortunately Yeovil did offer me the contract, but I did say that I will be speaking to other people and I have turned down other clubs south as well. But, if I had signed down south then it probably would have been Yeovil, we would have been happier staying at Yeovil but sometimes you have to get yourself out of your comfort zone and push on again, and I feel this is exactly what I am doing.
PN
Yeah, you mentioned the interest from other clubs there, were they at a similar level?
AW
Yeah, but like when I first met Greg I said it is not all about money, Terry Skiverton at Yeovil knows it is not all about money, this decision isn’t about money, it is about me getting to a club where I know I am going to be comfortable in terms of the family being able to come and see the little ‘un and things like that. But, not only that with my football, but being comfortable with my manager and as I soon as I spoke to Greg he was saying the right things and most of all how much he wants me at the football club. Sometimes that is half the battle is having a manager that really wants you, I am not saying that wasn’t the case down at Yeovil but I just felt I needed a change, which is why I chose here.
PN
You mentioned the family there, just explain, you became a Dad for the first time recently?
AW
Yeah, little Lily, and she will be six weeks old on Friday, so for us it is great for us at the minute being able to enjoy that. But, it is a long way from Yeovil back to Manchester, it is quite a way from Carlisle, I know it is an hour and half but it is a lot closer. I am not saying that was all the decision but it is great being a Dad and I just felt at this point in my career that it is time to move on and give me the best opportunity at getting higher up as possible.
PN
For the benefit of the Carlisle fans who are yet to see you play, just give us an idea of how you would describe yourself as a player?
AW
Well, I think in the last three years I have had the most assists at Yeovil, I have been way up in the division in terms of assists. What I bring to a team, I will chip in with goals and most of all I really enjoy my football. So, I am a winger, I play either side, I can play in the hole, I can play upfront as well so I bring hopefully a lot of experience from this division and the Championship, and I have also had Premiership experience as well, so I feel as though I am bringing a lot of experience, and I am really looking forward to the challenge and showing the Carlisle fans what I can bring.
PN
How much do you know about the current Carlisle side? Of course you played them twice last season.
AW
Yeah, I know a few of the players, not personally but obviously I have played against them quite a lot. You don’t get to the final of any cup if you are not a good side and you haven’t got good players, so I can’t wait for the first day of pre-season and get to meet them all and probably have a bit of banter and take it from there really.
PN
The manager here talks about it being important to have a good dressing room, and clearly you feel as though that is important at a football club?
AW
100%, and one thing I will say down at Yeovil, it is a small club and it is a tight-knit club and that is exactly what they do have down there is a great team spirit and great camaraderie. I am sure it will be the same here but I feel good things are built on good team spirit, good banter, good camaraderie around the place and that willing to die for your team-mate. It might not be in a tackle, it might be if you are a winger having a run at someone and putting a cross in, or if you are a goalkeeper making a save, things like that. So, it is all in different areas but I will just look forward to the start of the season and meeting everyone.
PN
Just talk us through your career from when you started? You started with Stockport County?
AW
Yeah, I started at Stockport then moved to Sunderland where I spent three seasons, the first season we got promoted to the Premiership, played the Premiership that season, went on loan to Leicester, then I ended up leaving Sunderland to go out and play in the MLS for six or seven months with Toronto FC.
PN
How did you find that experience?
AW
It was excellent yeah, one thing I always say is make football work for you sometimes, if you are not enjoying it, which I wasn’t at the time, make it work for yourself, I needed to get the enjoyment back and that is exactly what I did.
PN
And then when you came back to England you had a spell with Blackpool?
AW
Yeah, I had a spell with Blackpool for a season and unfortunately when you leave England people seem to forget about you. So, I found that difficult coming back to England and then I ended up at Yeovil where I am very grateful for my time. It is a great club, the people behind the scenes have all been fantastic with me, the fans have been fantastic with me, so it is very sad to leave there. But, I feel this is a very, very exciting new chapter in my career and I am really looking forward to it.
PN
What are you hoping to achieve during your time with Carlisle United? What are your immediate ambitions?
AW
To get straight in the team, and again I set myself targets of trying to be the most creative player in the team if I can be, whether that be assists or goals. But, on a team level let’s just see how we can go, you always want to improve on what you have done last year, so I am sure with a little bit of added players here and there you never know where we can get.
PN
And just finally, your surname is Welsh, you were born in England but you qualify to play for Scotland, just explain that?
AW
Yeah, well all my family is Scottish, they are all from Glasgow, don’t let the Mancunian accent fool you. I have represented the under-19s for Scotland and I have made it clear that if selected I would play for them because I do feel Scottish whenever the games are on and that. I always support Scotland so that is basically what it is, Welsh doesn’t really come into it.