United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Newton (PN) at Thursday's open press conference for the local media, Abbott first talking about Matty Robson signing a new two-year contract at Brunton Park:
GA
I have been working hard on Matty’s situation trying to convince him that this is the right place for him. He has had one or two things thrown at him from other clubs but he just agreed to sign so John Nixon has got that done. I think he is improving, I think the consistency levels in his game and on top of that he is a really good person and just the sort of lad we want at the club.
I am really, really pleased, I am actually buzzing for the first time of this summer at the minute. I think the tightness of the finances are common knowledge, now he is a massive part of what we are going to try to do. We are getting an excitement now, I met two agents last night of two players who are really positive.
Hopefully, I am going to go away on Saturday but I am going to revisit one of the agents tomorrow, but I am going to go away on Saturday for a week and hopefully while I am away that will evolve as well and by the time I get back there might be something happening there. So, we are starting to piece things back together and a lot of work I have done is starting to just come to fruition. We want some flair, we do want some flair in the team, we want some pace in the team and we want people to excite the crowd.
But, at the minute Matty in full flow is an excitement, there is another pacey player that is exciting and there is another player that I think will make people think he is a decent one to have in the squad. So, yeah, things happen unexpectedly sometimes and sometimes like buses they come all at once. So, hopefully by the time I go away on Saturday there might be another nearly transfer done, but it probably won’t get completed until I get back.
PN
And what is the latest with Lee Miller’s contract situation?
GA
Well, I am leaving messages for Lee at the minute and generally when they don’t get returned it is bad news. So, I think that was the one that I expected, or thought and suspected may be one that would be difficult to do. But, again Lee has not ruled us out, at the minute there was people talking to his agent, but he will to have make that decision and make it rapid.
I can’t give you it now because I don’t now because we are trying to track him down and his agent. But, I think he is actually away somewhere at the moment, but I will try my hardest to get some news back to you, but I would like to know.
PN
With regard to potential targets you are looking at at the moment, how far down the line are you in that respect?
GA
A couple quite a way, two quite a way, two I think are exciting. So, I am a reasonable way down the line with that and hopefully by again probably we will know more when I get back from the week I am away. But, I am hoping to verbally agree something before I go.
PN
Are you able to give supporters an idea of what kind of level they have been playing at?
GA
Erm, no, I would rather not. Because, they will second guess and they will get the wrong names, and I think out of respect to everybody and it is the way I always do things. All I will tell you is that one is a very creative footballer and one is very, very quick.
PN
What kind of areas are you looking to strengthen this summer?
GA
Well we are looking for forward players obviously. We have got a decent group of midfield players, especially with bringing Jack Lynch in and Josh Todd re-signing. In full-back areas when everybody is fit we are in decent shape as first choice. So, we are looking at probably bringing in a right-sided player, we are looking at a number nine obviously if Lee decides to do other things and possibly a number ten that can add to the midfield and add to the attack when needed.
So, a versatile number ten if you like. They are probably the priority areas at the minute, which I think are common knowledge out there as well when people look at the players we have got left from the squad and the contracts offered and accepted and not accepted.