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" The weekend itself was really good, the win particularly against Northampton was a big one because it came on the back of a major effort at Leyton Orient where we played very well. Obviously a lot of energy and a lot of excitement was used up in that game though, and then travelling back and playing on Monday in front of a large crowd was a big occasion for us. We coped very well with it though and obviously the result speaks for itself in that sense, it's a really good position that we have put ourselves in.
" We talked about it prior to the game going into Thursday before Leyton Orient, we'd be together from that day right through to the end of the Northampton game. We stayed together all the way through and it was the purpose in mind of that we wanted to try to make sure that we didn't slip up in anything. We said that six points would be fantastic, four would be decent, no points would be, not a disaster, but it's a really big loss. So for us to gain six and other people just to gain one or none or three has been really good.
" Northampton was pleasing, we've had that a little bit before after the Forest game where everybody praised us and we got the Brighton match after that, we came back and the expectancy level is a bit more then. You are expected to win and that puts a little bit extra on the game and on the players, but to be fair to them I did say at that time that I don't worry about the occasion getting to them. It's just whether we're going to be good enough and I feel the same about them now.
" The occasion yesterday, 9,000 people after everyone has been patting us on the back at Leyton Orient, can we reproduce something? Whilst we didn't reproduce the same type of form, because that would have been difficult, the thoroughness I think of the performance against Northampton was really good. The team were very thorough, very professional and did their jobs in a very efficient manner. I think we've shown that we can win in different ways and I think that is very important.
" He (Danny Livesey) doesn't stay after training but when we play small sided games I'm often shouting him back because he's up at, in my eyes, the wrong end of the field. He's practising at the top end and I'm looking for him to work at his defending but he likes to get up there. We send both him and Peter Murphy up there, and Murph has found a goal and a couple of assists as well just recently. "
" So, particularly on set-plays, I think that is a big thing, they are both good attackers of the ball and they are both big opponents to lose in the box. When people like Danny Livesey lose their marker in the box he has obviously got a knack to finish things off and we're grateful for that. We do work at the set-plays though, we talk about the corners and stuff like that as well so it's a combined effort from everybody.
" The players are fine, I've learned that over the past few weeks, we've been under a bit of pressure, if that is the right word, to try to get results in big games and people looking at us wondering if we can stay the pace. Not only have we stayed the pace but we've gone ahead of it now, but there always has been somebody better than us and there still is. That's what I put to my team, we can think this and that about ourselves and people can say this and that about ourselves but Swansea are still better than us at this moment in time.
" If we've got any ambitions or aspirations to become good players and play at a higher level then we've got to chase Swansea. In these last few games I want to be looking at them, it's like you're in a 100 metre race or whatever now. You ask if we can catch them, and can we go stronger and we'll try to do that.
" So there is always that to put people's feet back on the floor if anybody starts to get a bit clever, it probably won't get to me though, the other boys will probably knock them down anyway. I've got that sort of group that I am working with and they'll stay very, very focused and very strong in what we are trying to achieve.
" If I start looking at might's and maybe's and everybody else's fixtures then I'll drive myself crazy. I'll leave that to you guys, you're the journalists, you fix that up, it gives you a good conversation topic with people. I'm really, I know that it's the old football cliché, but I'm really just getting to grips with asking how we can beat Gillingham and collecting the match reports from the weekend games for Gillingham and looking at those today. "
" When I get the group back together on Thursday after their little break we'll start focusing on that. I think that will be the same for the team as well, we know there is one place to go, there are two places to achieve to get automatic promotion. We've got a chance of that and at the moment that's all it is, but we can make it better if we can win at Gillingham and we'll try to do that.
" The boys, you can see in their play, there is a huge determination about them. They very much want to win games of football, and you get the feeling that there is not a thought in their minds at the moment. They know the game is there, they know Nottingham Forest is coming after that, but this Thursday everything will be about Gillingham.
" We are going to fly down again, as we did last weekend for Leyton Orient, the club have been fantastic in supporting myself in trying to get the right preparation. Fred (Story) and the board are getting their rewards as well with what is going on on the pitch, so the preparation is all important. We are trying to get that right and then once we've done that game at Gillingham we're back up on Saturday night and then preparing for Nottingham Forest. There are a lot of things to happen yet and there are still a lot of points to play for.
" Nottingham Forest and Swansea, those games are still to come, even Southend I think have gone eight games now without defeat. Those games stand up for themselves in terms of everybody saying that they are ready for it, there will probably be bigger crowds etc. The players know it's a big game but Gillingham equally is three points, if I was worried about it I'd tell you but I'm not. Because I think that the players are very much aware of that, that this game is the next important, or the most important game of the season because it's the next one.
" Then once that's been concluded Nottingham Forest becomes that, and, as the points we gather and the pace grows towards the end of the season, the next game becomes very, very important. There is no point though really in getting involved in Forest or Swansea yet, these players have got to be up to play against Gillingham on Saturday. Obviously they are in a fighting position at the bottom of the league but we are in a fighting position at the top. I can tell you now, you can rest assured that the players of Carlisle United will be really up for that game. "
" We got pushed into that (4-5-1) a little bit as you know when Joe Garner got injured at Crewe, and then the next game was Forest away and Scott Dobie was not able to play because of the contractual situation. It looked very comfortable, we'd played it before but pushing Grant Smith in there was a new face in it and he has settled in fantastically by the way, absolutely delighted with the way he has gone about it.
" Whilst I can fully accept that if we don't win games people will tell you that it is a negative point of view or a negative shape but we've had a lot of shots, a lot of crosses and a lot of goals. We've had a lot of good results playing that way and it seems to fit with the players that we have, they enjoy it. We can press the ball very, very well and I think that someone like Danny Graham for instance at the top of the pitch is absolutely fantastic with his work-rate and he's had the benefit and rewards of goals as well.
" So it's suited the players and whilst it probably got pushed at me a little bit rather than me being a tactical genius it's worked. The one thing that I have looked at is saying that if it's not broken then I don't have to mend that and it's OK. It's interesting that three of the big four do it, you know with (Steven) Gerrard just in behind, I think you'll probably see England playing it tomorrow night. So I don't think, it's not really my favourite, I like the 4-4-2 but at the same time playing with shape.
" My wingers get playing on the wing, they get crosses in, they get shots in, you saw that yesterday and it doesn't deter anybody as long as they are positive in what they do. I think that is key to whatever it is, if everybody is positive and thinking forward football then any shape or formation really doesn't come into it, I think it's down to the players to show that determination to get on.
" I think it would be good to get some cover in and it's something that I'm trying to do. I've been on the telephone today, and I'll be working at it tonight and looking at it again on Wednesday. The staff are out at games, we've got phone calls in, we'll see if we can get a new face in. I'd like to do that because anything unforeseen can give us a problem, whilst it's difficult though to try to get players in and tell them that I can't really change the team but can they come in and help us out. "
" We are looking for that type of lad though to come and say that he will be part of that for the last eight games if you want me. We also have to consider that it might be play-off time as well, so any player may have to stay until the end of May. So there are all those types of things and there is a lot of thought that has got to go into this but we're trying to get a new face if we can. If I can't then we'll get on with it but I'm trying to do that.
" We're covered quite nicely within the squad, the bench is quite good and you saw Scott Dobie come on at centre-forward and then go on the wide right this weekend. Paul Arnison has come on on the wide right and can play full-back defensive, Danny Carlton came on on the left-hand side, so they'll cope and they'll do jobs for this team. We've got people in there who can help us out but another face or two would be helpful just incase because we would be kicking ourselves if we get a couple of injuries and we can't cover it.
" I think experience is all there and I think that's within the club and we wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for the experience and the knowledge that they've got. They're all at a good age, it's a nice age of players and there is just really young Gary Madine who has shown a lot of maturity by the way when he has come on.
" The majority of them are at a good age in their careers where they are playing at a good peak and there is probably two or three really good strong years left in most of them yet. So I don't think that we need to go and get major old heads, I think there is a lot of good legs in this team, a lot of good strength and long may it stay that way.
" Everybody is alright after the weekend, we're going to play some of the senior boys in the reserve fixture tomorrow at home to Manchester City, that's a 7pm kick-off at home and hopefully they'll get through OK. They just need to top up their match fitness for whenever they may be needed to come in and push us through.
" You should have heard my voice on Saturday, well you wouldn't have done but I'm getting better, I'm OK. I've not been ill with it, it's strange, I've just lost that old voicebox but it's coming back, I think that the players have been quite happy. To be fair the players that I have got have had to listen a bit more carefully than perhaps they have normally done because I've not been so strong with the voice. Fair play to them though, they've done alright, I'm sure they have a good laugh at me when I've left the dressing-room but that's alright, I don't mind that. "