|
" It's very exciting, it's a very exciting time for myself and I'm very privileged to have the opportunity to join Carlisle today. One of my best mates who I went to school with is good mates with Greg Abbott's son, obviously they had a little chat to one and other. Then the next minute my mate phoned me to say that Carlisle were interested in me and would I be interested in talking. I was very interested in what Carlisle had to offer and had to say, one thing lead to another and then I was signing for Carlisle.
" It wasn't in my plans to leave Morecambe to be perfectly honest, we got Morecambe in the League and I wanted to stay with Morecambe and give it a shot in the League with Morecambe. The opportunity came along with Carlisle though and the opportunity was too good to turn down. I think I've left at probably the right time, I've done my bit for Morecambe, I had six great years there but I need a new challenge now and Carlisle have given me that chance.
" Morecambe is my home-town as such, I live with Les (Dewhirst) the kit man at Morecambe. He took me under his wing when I was 16 and it's like my second family. Morecambe is my home, obviously I won't be at Leeds but I've lived here for six years and it's been a great time in Morecambe now. You move on to bigger and better things though and Carlisle is the better thing that I've moved on to. Hopefully I'll have some glorious years at Carlisle.
" Southport away was my debut when I was 18. Jim Harvey signed me up when I was 16 and I made my debut when I was 18, big thanks to Jim Harvey for giving me that opportunity. When you are young you don't expect people to give you accolades and say that you are a player to watch, you just want to turn up and play football. Obviously people are going to have a high opinion of you if you are playing well though. At that moment in time it's overwhelming as well as the added pressure when you are playing a game.
" It wasn't a bad way to leave, it was a great day for Morecambe and everybody associated with the club. To score the winner at Wembley and to put Morecambe into the League has been just deserts for the past couple of years now. It's probably a good time for me to leave, scored the winner and got them in the League. Hopefully now I've got to do the same for Carlisle and get Carlisle into the Championship.
" Blackpool were interested in signing me, obviously I was playing well at the time. Morecambe obviously had a high opinion of me and they wanted a little bit more money than Blackpool were going to offer. Morecambe wouldn't budge on their price and Blackpool wouldn't offer the amount that Morecambe wanted, it was just one of those really. I was a bit disappointed that it never happened but it was a blessing in disguise, I scored the winner at Wembley and not many people can say they have played at Wembley and scored. "
" Rochdale said they were interested, I'm not sure if they approached the club itself. I spoke to Darlington but Carlisle was the club that I wanted to join. I've played against Carlisle a few times, I know the fans are absolutely amazing up there, they are very passionate about the game. The set up and everything else is amazing for a League One side. I played against them a couple of times for Morecambe and they were always a difficult outfit to break down. Hopefully we'll be able to strengthen on what I've seen and have a really good crack at the season this year.
" 4-4-2 suits me really, I like to play off somebody, I've got a lot of pace and I like to get in behind a lot. I like to create things as well which is good, I can come off and drop off and get the ball. Ideally I'd like to play in a 4-4-2 and play up there with somebody who is going to help me defend from the front.
" I tore 50% of my medial ligaments (knee) against Aldershot away, I was out for three months with a month of rehabilitation. It was hard at the time, you get down and you don't enjoy watching football because you just want to be playing. I came back though and everything felt good, all the hard work and rehabilitation paid off and I had probably my best game for Morecambe at Wembley which was nice.
" For the time being, because I don't drive which is the worrying thing, but I'll come and stay up in Carlisle for the time being and do a lot of driving lessons. Once I pass then I'll look to buy in Morecambe I would have thought, it's been my home and it's not too far from Carlisle, about an hour drive. I think most of the lads travel up from Preston, Bolton and Manchester or that way anyway. For the time being though and for pre-season or possibly the start of the season I'll be based up in Carlisle.
" It'll be nice to go back to where I was born and play Leeds United and hopefully get one over on them. No disrespect to the Conference teams but some days are gloomy, you don't really want to be playing, the weather is poor and the grounds are not the best with 700 people watching you. Obviously next year most teams will be six or seven thousand and then you've got Nottingham Forest and Leeds where there will be 22,000 or 24,000, which will be a great day out for everybody.
" I'm going out tonight with my family, we'll have a meal and a few drinks to celebrate, obviously I won't be having too many as I'll be in the gym tomorrow. We'll go out for a meal and just enjoy the occasion. "