United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One win away to Coventry, Abbott saying that the Blues needed a victory out of the game:
JP
You will be delighted with a victory first and foremost against your hometown club?
GA
Yeah, and the key is a victory, it has been a really nice day, a special day and I would have said that before the game regardless of the result. We were needing a victory, Coventry were needing a victory, but that probably shunts us a good few places up the table, it makes better reading tomorrow, it makes the start look half decent now. It is something to build on, we know how difficult this season is going to be because of the situation, but we have got a tremendous amount of spirit within the club and we fight and scrap for everything we have got.
Today I thought we fought and scrapped but we also showed some quality at times and I was really, really pleased, as pleased as I have been all season, not just because of winning at Coventry but because I thought the performance was very, very good at times.
JP
Something that must have pleased you in particular, you talked about after the Swindon game a week ago about needing a bit of support, needing a few more bodies in and your board have backed you, you have got these two players (Joe Garner and Kallum Higginbotham) in and a week on you are sitting two points outside the play-offs with two new faces?
GA
Yeah, well we always said we needed that depth and it is my job to make sure the supporters get a fair run for their money and argue the case very, very hard with the board and try to get these players in. We have done a tremendous turn-round of players over the past four years that we have sold on, you look at them today, the Everton-Swansea game, Danny Graham playing in the Premier League and Ian Harte playing in the Premier League, things like that, Richard Keogh doing really well.
So, we deserve a bit back, I deserve a bit back and the fans deserve a bit and the players deserve a bit back. They have backed us with Kallum and Joe and I thought Joe was terrific today, he has really upset the Coventry defenders and given us a chance to play our football higher up the pitch. Ultimately that might have been one of the reasons why we have won this game, but much more happy as a manager that we have got some depth to choose from and we looked a decent side today.
JP
I bet you would have loved to have played with Joe Garner, but I bet you would have hated playing against him?
GA
Yeah, I don't think neither of us would have lasted the 90 minutes most weeks. He is an absolute pain in the proverbial but you are better having him on your side as you rightly say than you are against you.
JP
The penalty that you got, Chris (Lumsdon) called it immediately, it didn't look like the most obvious we have seen but happy to get that?
GA
You see it better than us. It looked a soft one from where we were but I can't see from down pitchside what has happened. If Lummy is saying it was one and the referee (Patrick Miller) is saying it was one then that is good enough for me, I won't have you as a referee, I will have those two in ahead of you.
JP
Yeah, fair enough. A bit disappointed with the equaliser you conceded?
GA
Yeah, very, very. It was the one downside of the first-half, I thought we were terrific first-half, we didn't close the ball down just here, we didn't close the ball down on the far side and then we have not picked up our marker and we have conceded the goal. Which is very, very upsetting considering the type of game it was always going to be and the tightness of the game, and the fact that Coventry were finding life difficult at that particular point, and we gave them a boost that we could have done without.
JP
Can you explain to me Danny Livesey's equaliser by any chance? It just seemed to have stopped moving, we thought it was going wide and then it just billowed the back of the net?
GA
Well, we could see perfectly because I am stood right behind Danny's header and as soon as he headed it I went 'goal'. Fair play to Danny because I criticised him for losing his marker, even though it was probably Murph's (Peter Murphy's) man to pick up. Danny was closest and let him get on the back side of him, but he has scored us the winner so that is Danny Livesey all over, he has ended up with stitches and a bollocking, and a happy bunny though he still is.
JP
Something we picked up on, we have started to do the Lummy man of the match, we have had four games now, three of them have gone to Danny Cadamarteri, what a great signing he is turning out to be?
GA
Great, terrific, I mean he has been a real foil, we are probably talking about Joe because it is his first full game, but let's not forget the impact Danny Cadamarteri............... I have picked out one player, I thought Chris Chantler was absolutely outstanding today, he is up against a really good player at this level in Carl Baker. I thought he did a fantastic job and they kept trying to bombard him again with the aerial thing, he kept dealing with it, he is 5'0, a heart the size of a lion, the type of player that we love and we are so pleased with him. But, you are right, let's not detract from Danny as well, I thought he was outstanding all the way through.
JP
James Berrett back into the team, still the strong powerful tackles but maybe just a bit more wise in when he chose to do them?
GA
Well, he doesn't want to be out of the team does he and he knows that Pottsy (Brad Potts) is knocking about, and Liam Noble is knocking about. So, we need a situation where when people do lose their place they have to fight like mad to get back in. But, I thought they were powerful in there today the midfield, I thought they dominated most of that area until probably the later stages when Thir (Paul Thirlwell) got a bit of double vision and they got a head of steam up. But, no pleased with them.
JP
I was wrong in saying that it was the end of Jake Jervis's loan of course in the week, but not involved today, is he probably going to go back to Birmingham now?
GA
Yeah, he is going to go back to Birmingham, I had a good chat with Jake about obviously bringing in Kallum and Joe with a bit more experience. He probably would find his game time a little bit less and he needs games at the minute. He has been terrific for us, he has got his three goals and I thank him immensely for that.
I had a really fantastic conversation with him yesterday and we sort of talked about him not coming today because I have got to take four of the lads that are going to be with us, and he understood that. A very, very mature conversation and we absolutely wish Jake all the best from this football club because he has scored his three goals and he has got us through that difficult period that we needed to get through straight after Lee Miller's injury.
JP
And he leaves as your current top goalscorer, well joint?
GA
Yeah, he has, so hopefully he is not in the coming weeks.
JP
Kallum Higginbotham got a bit of game time, didn't have too much chance to do a great deal, but I am sure that will build up and build up with him now?
GA
Yeah, I think the tightness of the game, it wasn't one you were making rash substitutions, they were more enforced ones, we had injuries to Danny's head and Thir's double vision and then Joe has got a bit of a dead leg. But, he can't play on Wednesday anyway I don't think so he will be alright.
JP
What about the other two, what about Thirlwell and Livesey as you have said there, are they going to be OK?
GA
I would think Thir's double vision should be concurred by Monday and Danny's cut will just get stitched up and it will add to his list of memories.
JP
And what a number of fans have been saying is, what a great position that the club have got themselves into and they can now just enjoy Wednesday night, and I am sure you will want to go and take it seriously as well, but also enjoy it?
GA
Yeah, it is an easy job for me to work out how we are going to step (Aaron) Lennon and (Clint) Dempsey and (Gareth) Bale and that, because they won't have a clue how to stop Livesey and Chantler and (Matty) Robson will they, because I don't think they will know who they are. So, we have got the upper hand straight away.
JP
So, there you go, coming from the underdog's position. How have you enjoyed coming to your hometown club today?
GA
I have to say I have been unbelievably well received from everybody here. They have made it a terrific day, I thank everybody connected with the club and all my friends and family that have turned up today to see me. I have not seen some of these people for 20-odd years and memories go back a long way. Where I come from is my roots, I love visting the city and maybe I can't leave it so long before I keep in touch with some of these people. But, I am going to stay over tonight, enjoy myself tonight and then straight back to work tomorrow and start plotting for Wednesday.
JP
One point I must always tackle you on, 951 fans here today from Cumbria?
GA
Yeah, but 800 were from Coventry.
JP
No, no, no, 951 Carlisle fans.
GA
I know what you are saying, I think they have still come from Coventry supporting me.
JP
You mean they were your family?
GA
Yeah, I think they were my family. No, brilliant, they are awesome, they are absolutely awesome. My family come as much as they can but these people come week in and week out and spend absolutely their hard earned money. Without them we wouldn't be as good as we are and we need them, we need them to turn up in droves on Wednesday which they probably will now, it is a great game, they can enjoy it, hopefully we will put on a decent performance. Up against it obviously, but they will be with us right to the end of this season again as they always are, and hopefully we are creeping up that table and giving them something to cheer about.
JP
A couple of points off the play-offs but we will not get into that just yet?
GA
We will leave that just for now.