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" It is a big game and they'll get bigger as the next two or three weeks unfold won't they. Just in playing Leeds United at any given time during the season is a big game, but when they are chasing their place in the play-offs and we're chasing a place in the top two it becomes even more important.
" The early kick-off will be fine, we'll deal with it, we've already prepared for it. As you can probably gather I'm on my way to the team hotel now with the boys. That's all been arranged, everything has been brought forward three hours tomorrow morning as well as tonight. So we're fine, we'll cope with it no problem.
" A lot of these boys have won two promotions, they've played in big finals, they've played in big games and big occasions. We had 20-odd thousand at Nottingham Forest away from home live on TV, these boys can cope with that. I think that the occasion itself will be something they relish, it's just a question of if we can play well enough on the day to get something out of the match.
" We got a bit of a chasing in the first 20 minutes against Swansea, so that is probably the reason that they looked a little bit tired. I think that if we were tired then we wouldn't have stayed the distance for the final 25 minutes. "
" So I'm very pleased with the fitness levels of the team, I think the position in the league shows that we are in good condition generally. Certainly going into playing at Leeds United tomorrow afternoon, or tomorrow lunchtime, that gets rid of any suspicion of tiredness whatsoever because the game itself gets people lifted.
" I think it's likely that you may see them (Paul Thirlwell and Paul Reid) over the last four games. Paul Reid has now played his full game which is what he wanted to do, he did that on Wednesday. Paul Thirlwell played an hour in that game with no repercussions and they are both in the squad for the trip tomorrow.
" I think Gary McAllister saying that he has got the strongest squad is a pretty obvious statement to make. He has got a good squad, he's got a terrific bench, I think that Swansea have got the same, Nottingham Forest have got the same. Of the teams probably in the top six we have the smallest squad and the smallest group of players. So I don't consider it mind games when people state facts.
" He can only play eleven of them can't he, so I'm fine with that. We've got no injury problems whatsoever (bar Joe Garner and Jeff Smith). We've probably got more players available to us, with Thirlwell and Paul Reid looking better in the match fitness stakes. So very happy that the squad is as it was last week, with obviously the two Pauls added to it. "
" I've only really met Neil (McDonald) through the game of football, I've never worked with him or whatever. I met him mostly when he was working with Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers, and obviously they had a fantastic time and a big reputation. People at Carlisle speak very well of Neil in terms of his coaching, saying that he is a very, very good coach and worked very hard on the training ground.
" So I'm looking forward to having a chat with him and a drink with him after the game, just talking to him about his time at Lincoln City really. Because that is something that we have in common, I'm from Lincoln and see how he got on there.
" We are only three weeks away from the end aren't we, so you've got to start looking at the fact that each game could be the one. If we can win that game tomorrow then obviously there are only three games left and time runs out for people to consider catching us up. I'm still of the view though that we are chasing Swansea you know, people might think that I'm daft but I've talked to the team like that this morning.
" They haven't won the league, we haven't got promoted yet, everything is still to play for and we've got this opportunity tomorrow to try to do that. I think Swansea perhaps won't slip up, but you never know, football is a strange one, and we've got to make sure that we are still in good form ourselves. "