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" It's funny, I'm coming up to my anniversary next week of 12 months at Carlisle which has been an outstanding 12 months for me personally. The gaffer (John Ward) is my third manager though and I hope that he is my last for a few years to come. I've only got good things to say about him to be fair, I've only known him three or four days and he's a very, very intelligent and clever man. He's won all the staff and players over instantly.
" The way that he talks to you and the way that he treats you and involves you in everything. I've been working with the first team with Greg (Abbott) and I know how upset Greg was when he didn't get offered the job. I was absolutely devastated for him because we'd become very friendly over the last 12 months and he desperately, desperately wanted to take on the reins. To be fair to the gaffer within a space of two days Greg has gone from absolutely hanging himself and throwing himself off the bridge at Junction 42 to being back to his normal self.
" He didn't show it publicly, obviously I am pretty close to him, we go out and we talk a lot and we have become close friends. He is sensitive is Greg, believe it or not he is a sensitive person and it really affected him on Tuesday night. I watched him, I didn't watch the players faces when he told them that he hadn't been chosen. I watched his face and if he hadn't left the dressing-room when he did then the tears would have come down.
" That's just the passion that the man has for the game, he is very knowledgeable, he is a pain in the back-side in the coaches room because he is always playing jokes and tricks. If you come in in the mornings and you are feeling a little bit down it's only for about ten minutes because he doesn't allow it. If he was feeling down on Tuesday, and he told me that he went home on Wednesday and he couldn't get out of the chair and he was absolutely devastated, then he certainly didn't show it.
" He has bounced back into work and he is his usual self, and on Saturday he took a lot of credit, and to be fair to the gaffer he handed all the credit over to him in the staff meeting. He said that Greg prepared and Greg picked the team, Greg did most of the changes of the side and I'm really pleased for him. Because I have worked with a lot of people over the last few years and you will not find anybody more committed or enthusiastic, and Carlisle will be a better club for him staying. "
" I'm comfortable, he's told me that I will carry on doing the reserves and I've gone back to the youth team. To be fair to him he's won me over completely, he's been brilliant, I've only known for him for four days and long may that continue. "