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" I've made no secret of the fact that we'd like to bring Richard (Keogh) in on a permanent basis. We tried to do that, we've actually made two offers to Bristol City and they've turned them both down. We asked to increase the loan as well, this was yesterday, and Bristol City turned that down as well and expressed a view that they would like to take him back. So unfortunately Richard has got to go back there, he trained with us this morning and he'll find his way back to Bristol over the weekend.
" He's disappointed and I'm disappointed but we'll keep an eye on the whole situation to see if we can regenerate it a little bit later on in the month. It remains to see what happens with him at Bristol City though. I'd hope that we can reach an agreement because I'm not entirely certain that Richard will go back and play for Bristol City. Obviously that would cause a bit of a problem for Richard because he could come and play in our first team obviously.
" I know that he thoroughly enjoyed it here, he is very popular with the rest of the players. I think they went out for lunch with him today after training which is really unusual in a football club, the lad has been here for five weeks and he has made quite an impact in with the rest of the boys. So they are sorry to see him go but we'll try very hard to see if we can resurrect it over the next couple of weeks or so and see what happens.
" He goes out of contract at the age of under 24, he's not actually a "Bosman", it goes to a tribunal ruling then so it depends on other people making a decision if the two clubs can't agree. So ideally I'd like to bring him back in in this month to help us through. I spoke to Fred Story at length today and we'd both like to do the same thing, but at the same time we don't want to get into an auction or get a player that we feel is overvalued. We've got to do right for this football club as well so it's something that we'll keep looking at and we'll see if we can do it quickly. If not then we'll monitor it through the rest of the season. "
" I keep reading about different managers and we are all saying the same thing. I don't think that any of us like this transfer window, it can generate decision making that is not really thought out. Or it can generate overpriced players and things like that because it has to be done in a four week period which is pretty crazy really. So we've got to be right and we've got to be careful and the last thing that we want to do is jeopardise the financial situation of the football club at Carlisle. At the same time though we want to progress, so it's trying to get the right balance.
" I'd like to bring Joe (Anyinsah) back into the football club, I've had a number of talks with Alan Irvine. Alan wants to have a look at Joe, he hasn't seen him play yet and I fully understand that. He's a new manager into his first job and I think that Joe is going to play in their reserve game on Tuesday so Alan will get a chance to see him play and I'll be on the phone on Wednesday to see what his views are.
" I'm making phone calls and I'm talking to other people about other alternatives or other situations that are going on but it would be totally wrong of me to talk about other clubs and other people's players. I wouldn't like them doing it with my lads so I won't do it with others, but we are trying hard to strengthen the squad over this month. If we can then we will but if it becomes literally impossible, because that would be the only reason we don't do it, then we'll have to accept that and move on but I'm trying to do it.
" When I came in I said that the squad was a good squad, which it is, I've no reason to change my mind on that now having seen pretty much everybody play. I think Joe (Anyinsah) was in it at that particular time and I think that he would be a favourite judging by the crowd's reaction to him on his final game at Brunton Park. He would be a favourite to bring back, the general consensus of opinion would be that he is a good enough player. "
" Richard is 21, 12 times an under-21 international, captain of Ireland, hopefully he'll go on and get a full cap and work his way through and get better. Joe Anyinsah at 23, I just think that they are going to get better and they'll get better with first team football. So I think they are good enough but I wouldn't sit on my laurels and say that everything is fine and great. We'll always try to improve it but it has to be done at a cost that is correct for our football club.
" I don't want to be sat here in two years time saying that the whole place has gone bust, I think you've had enough of that at Carlisle United. We need to be correct in what we are trying to do and I think with Fred Story and myself and Andrew Jenkins and the people that are going to make those decisions, then hopefully we'll get them right both for the club and for the team.
" We've had a lot of scouts, I get the list of scouts for every game, certainly at Brunton Park, and I know who is coming and I know who is watching. So I know that is happening and I know that is the case but I can put my hand on my heart and say that I have had no phone calls for any of my players at this particular time. Being a selfish manager I hope that stays that way.
" Lee (Sinnott - Port Vale manager) was a player at Watford and I was an assistant manager there. We signed him from Walsall and Lee produced the longest throw I've ever seen and he's got a player in his side that can throw longer than Zigor (Aranalde) now. Justin Miller came on on Wednesday night at Cheltenham and was throwing it on to the penalty spot so he has obviously had that impact on his team and he likes that part of the game. "
" He's a very articulate young man is Lee, I think he'll go quite a way, he's got a tough job on his hands because they are at the bottom of the league and they need to pick themselves up. There is no way though that I, or the team that I put out tomorrow, will underestimate Port Vale whatsoever. They have had some good results, they have just drawn with Luton Town who are a decent side, we know that ourselves. I shall be in full respect of him and his team and we'll have to work hard to get the win that we want.
" There is no logic, football and logic are not compatible at all, they don't go together but if we can get the win then we get ourselves into second place which is terrific. I said that if we are in that top six at the end of the Christmas/New Year programme then I would be delighted, so second would be fantastic. It also puts a little gap between us and the chasing pack that is from seventh and downwards because it is still very, very tight at the moment. A win, when everyone is looking at the FA Cup, a win tomorrow would be terrific and it would go reasonably quietly I think into the consensus of results that would happen tomorrow, so I'd quite like that.
" They (Doncaster) are flying, I think they have won the last four games on the trot and have pushed themselves right into a great position so they are flying. It's a good place as well is the Keepmoat Stadium, I like the stadium and the games that you get there and the quality of the pitch is good. So everything would lean itself to a big football match again, I think the more points we get, and if we can win tomorrow then obviously it would do that.
" The longer that it goes on though each game gets that little bit bigger, it's a real test of character for all of us, as well as us wanting to be there. We've managed to stick around for quite some time and that tells me that that the guys that I have got playing for our football club are keen to do that again and have got the character to stick around it, so that's good. "