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" I'm extremely disappointed after Saturday, the same as everybody else. There are lots of other words other people will use I guess but they all add up to the same thing. We've had the biggest game, if you like, of the season where we need to perform and we haven't done that. Even now I'm struggling to find out reasons why, I've talked to players, I've talked to staff, I've racked myself with everything, every question I can throw at himself asking what was that.
" It really is a strange unexplainable as to why players didn't get the running, the work, the energy and it was that sort of extra bit that was missing. That brightness of mind and brightness of body that we didn't put together. We've shown it in recent games, we stood toe-to-toe with Forest and Swansea here, we've put ourselves on the pedestal and we've just not pushed the next limit.
" I can take getting beat, but not that way, when it is in that highest level that's why the disappointment is a lot stronger for everybody. Not just me but the 1,000 plus supporters that there were, and even the players themselves were a little bit hard pushed really to say they weren't really sure what happened there. It might have to remain that way, we're very responsible and we feel that we've not accepted that responsibility as strongly as we should have done. So we've got to try very, very hard this week back at home to get in people's good books again as it where.
" It seems a real shame because we are not going to finish lower than fourth, we can still finish second, we should never ever rule that out. At the end of the game on Saturday it will have been a good season, but people will not see it that way and least of all us, the players and the management. Which is a bit of a shame really but we've got to push on, we've got to really put that one away and ask what do we do next about it. "
" That really is the way of the world, and particularly the football world, because we have got a game here on Saturday that we want to try to win. Because as I've just said, I'll not rule out second place until we can't do it, and at the moment we can still do that. Yes we need everybody else's help but stranger things have happened. Maybe that release of not being in the top two maybe just gets my players to go and play and get the result that we want.
" I've got no argument that the adrenaline and the situation at Millwall should have fired them up. That's what we should have had, and you can rest assured that has been put to the dressing-room and we have gone about it and asked them what happened there. This was the day, I think everybody can accept getting beat if you are running and working, but we've loaded the ammunition really for people asking if we want to go up.
" Of course, we want to go up, the answer to that is absolutely yes, but I can't really come out with any hand on heart explanation that will satisfy people to say that was what happened on Saturday. We didn't perform, we weren't there, we looked a little bit blank and that is something that is in the person, and we didn't do it. I've no excuses whatsoever, and I agree with everybody that we have got to do better.
" I've got fit players and they'll play at the back, it's likely to be the back-four that finished on Saturday. I won't come back with all these sorry stories that we have got these injuries and stuff like that. I'll have eleven players out there that I will expect to do well and pick up the three points on Saturday against a Bournemouth side that is going to be buoyant anyway. So I'm not one that sits here and feels sorry for myself or that's happened, that's not happened or this and that. "
" Because we if have to go into the play-offs then we were are going to have two or three games in there that we have got to be up for and right for. We are going to have that second opportunity, as we stand at the moment we have still got the first opportunity, it's a wee bit distant of course it is but it's still available to us. Regardless of the team I put out I will certainly expect a far, far better showing on Saturday than we were able to put in at Millwall. Injuries apart, suspensions apart, the Carlisle United team has got to get it's heart on it's sleeve and go and play.
" It's fantastic for Danny Livesey and Keiren Westwood, there are a huge amount of success stories over the season and we mustn't lose sight of that, the big picture has been excellent. For those two guys to get selected in the PFA team, it's elected by their peers, by the players that they play against. That recognises the levels that Carlisle United have risen to, these two lads have come through the ranks with this football club. Now they are seeing that they are the best two players in their positions in this league.
" The nice thing about it all is that in brackets behind the name it says Carlisle United. I'm sure that those two guys would be the first to praise the efforts of their team-mates over the season that have allowed them to be selected in those positions. So we're really proud of them, they both went down to London to collect their awards on Sunday which is absolutely right. I'm looking forward to seeing them at the training ground and seeing the medals that they have got, although I don't know if they will actually bring them in. Great credit to them and their team-mates though that Carlisle have got two players in that team.
" We've had four young men up looking for contracts, and we've offered a year to Dan Wordsworth, the young centre-back, who we think is going to develop. The other three young men (Matthew Brown, Stephen Hindmarch, Matthew Wood) we've decided not to offer contracts to. That's always the tough bit, we did that on Monday afternoon after the reserve fixture, Eric Kinder and myself. Always difficult that one, the nice thing is that you are able to tell Dan that he has got a year and he goes out excited. "
" The other three boys have their rug pulled away a little bit so we've got to be very careful how we look after these young fellas, but it doesn't mean that we throw them away. We will help them in every way possible, whether it be football or education, whichever way their life takes them. From Dan's point of view though he has got another year to develop his career here.
" It happens every year and it's the toughest part of my job because I am the man that has to tell them, I do it along with Eric Kinder and Eric has been their mentor certainly over the last two years. He's seen them through and has got very close to those young fellas so much as he is delighted for Dan because he has a played a part in his development, and Gary Madine as well, he is desperately upset and concerned about the other boys.
" Because you develop a very close relationship over two years and I've absolutely no doubt that those other three young men have played a big part in developing the youth department of this football club, along with Eric. So it's difficult but we're tough enough to deal with it and help them out, and in a couple of days when they settle down to the decision that has been made we've asked them to come back and talk to us and we'll help them along their way.
" No injuries from Saturday, just a lot of pride, a lot of pride was hurt and that hurts quite a lot as well. There is a fantastic end to the season whatever, we have to put Saturday away which was a sad occasion in terms of football but we've got another one this week at home. It's our final league game, we'd like a big crowd, we'd like a big performance and we'd like a big result.
" At the end of it then maybe people can say that it has been a good season, and if it is extended into the play-offs so-be-it. If it is a promotion one then fantastic, we'll take it won't we. Whatever the way though, I think we as players would also like to show our appreciation to the supporters for the way that they have been behind us this year, we may still have a little bit more to do together. "