Carlisle United managing director John Nixon spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey and Paul Newton this evening as he chatted about how the Brunton Park pitch is bearing up ahead of the game with Yeovil tomorrow :
" We're extremely confident, the groundstaff have worked extremely hard all week, they've covered the pitch at all periods where we've had zero temperatures or minus temperatures. They've uncovered it during the day when we've had temperatures above zero, we looked at it this morning at 8.30am and under the covers it looked good, and it's looking pretty good for tomorrow. It was all covered up at 3pm this afternoon, and we expect that the temperature won't drop below zero tonight.
" We look at the BBC weather site and we tend to look ahead three or four days and immediately put covers on, the covers in theory should cover us up to about –10c, but practically that is probably a bit over the top. They'll cover us to about –5c or –6c. It isn't really a major concern at this moment in time, but the Warwick Road End is the big problem area, and that is only because the sun goes round to the south. The stand stops any of the sun getting onto that part of the pitch and doesn't allow it to thaw out through the day. Although it's little bit stiffer than the rest of the pitch it didn't give us too many causes for concern today when we walked on it.
" We feel confident now but there has been a pitch inspection planned, the Football League have indicated that they have downgraded it. They initially indicated 8am tomorrow morning, they've moved it to 10.30am, and it's a precautionary move so the referee can come and have a look at it at 10.30 in the morning and make sure everything is OK. We'll be taking the covers off about 7.30am-8.00am. "
Speaking about the issue of the transfer of flood plain land off Warwick Road to John Courtenay, Nixon said :
" It was an issue that was brought up at the shareholders meeting, just so that we don't guess at what the value of the land is. If it goes on to the open market then we'll get a very good feeling for the real value of the land whether it's plus or minus what we thought it was. It's all out in the open then, it's absolutely and totally transparent, and anything that is done is all above aboard.
" It's worthwhile in the public domain that the value of that land is known, and it saves any arguments in future, and particularly as we have shareholders, that want to know what that is and they have a right to know. I think the situation is a bit like selling a house, you go to an estate agent and this is exactly the same. It's in the public domain, it's very open, and very transparent, John (Courtenay) wants that and we as the directors want that as well. "
On the Yeovil game on Saturday afternoon, Nixon commented :
" A win tomorrow would be fantastic, and then there is the possibility of course that we could move into the top six tomorrow. I think we'd be really pleased to do that but every game is a hard game, but we're looking forward to it immensely. I just hope that we get a good turnout tomorrow, we could do with well over 9,000 people cheering us on. The crowd does make a big difference because I know it lifts the players, and that's the lift they probably need to make sure that we can go on and win the game. "