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FS
I am really looking forward to it, we are very encouraged by the start we have made here, and obviously Sheffield Wednesday have made a good start as well coming off their firs defeat. But, personally speaking I am really looking forward to going back.
JP
You replaced a cult hero at Brunton Park in Richard Keogh but, as much I have seen in all the online polls with fans, you are already starting to come out on top because of the way you have started your career at Carlisle. Does that sort of thing mean much to a player when you see what the fans feel about you?
FS
Obviously it is nice, it is very nice, I don't really read the papers or go on the internet and look at that kind of stuff, I steer well clear of it. It is nice to know that but, my sole objective when I came here wasn't to be ahead in the polls, it was to come here and get myself fit and play games and help Carlisle do well, and as of right now we are doing alright.
JP
I suppose you are always going to be ahead in the polls if the team are doing well and you yourself are doing well. How you have felt about your start to your career here?
FS
Yeah, I have been pleased with it. I think we hit the ground running in the first game against Brentford and we carried it forward. We have had our bit of luck in some games and I think we have deserved that as well. But, we have played some good stuff as well and deserve to be up there or thereabouts at this point in the season.
JP
It is an obvious question, but, do you feel that you go back to Hillsborough tomorrow with a bit of something to say, I was worth more of a look than maybe I got towards the end there?
FS
Not really, I think I am playing here and proving myself again, if you will, here. Obviously, things didn't work out there but there are no hard feelings, that is football. People are out of favour, the manager brings somebody else in and you have got to keep your head down and move on, and that is what happened. But, I spent five good years there and to go back and see them, I made a lot of good friends there, to go back and see them will be nice.
JP
How do you rate their relative strengths? Because they have had quite a high turnover, a bit like Carlisle in the summer in terms of their playing squad.
FS
They will be good, I and a lot of the boys watched them on television last Sunday, and the manager said that was the worst they have played. But, I am sure they will looking to bounce back and they have good players.
A lot of players there who have played a lot of games in the Championship, players that I know very well and are very good players. So, it will be a tough game, but, we went away to Plymouth and we went away to Colchester and got good results. So, there is no reason why we can't go to Sheffield Wednesday and do the same.
JP
I also very much enjoyed your debut in your United Scene bit, the Carlisle magazine, what was that like as an experience? I suppose when you are one of these people who shies a bit away from the paper and the internet and all that sort of thing, it was an interesting experience for you?
FS
Yeah, I don't mind doing that sort of stuff, I enjoyed it, obviously I have got my fiancée over at the minute as well, so it was her first pictures in the magazine as well, so it was new to her, but it was fine.
JP
The first foray for her into the media world then, the glamorous life of being a footballer's wife.
FS
I know, watch out, she seemed to enjoy it anyway.
JP
Following on from that, how are you both settling? Clearly, you seem to be settling quite well but, how are you finding life in the area and life at Carlisle United?
FS
Yeah, it is good, I have permanently moved up now and I have rented my place out down in Sheffield and sorted myself with an apartment here in Carlisle. Adjusting takes time, but, so far it has been brilliant.
JP
And have you struck up any close relationships with the others in the Carlisle dressing room?
FS
To be fair, all the boys have been fantastic since day one. I think there are no bad apples in there, and that helps. I think everybody gets on as well, and it is just a good group of guys right now.
JP
Anyone having a particular influence on you? Somebody you find particularly funny or mischievous?
FS
Thirs (Paul Thirwell) comes out with a few good one-liners that he probably thinks are funnier than they are, he has got his moments.
JP
And just finally, a place like Hillsborough, of course you are well experienced with it, have you been asked by the coaching staff to pass on that experience to some of the players as to what they can expect from a game like this?
FS
No, not really, I am sure we will talk about it a lot more today, about what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what they will bring to the table. Obviously, if I can I will put in my two cents as well because I do know the players very well. So, I think that will help.