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" It's nice to just get back playing football, that's all I have ever wanted to do as I have said over the years, so it's nice to be back. I think any footballer to play as a full international for their country, I've played for every age group since I was in the under-16s and now to make a senior debut I was just buzzing to get the call-up. Then I got my first cap so I was very, very happy with that, it was unbelievable.
" If I had signed a contract just to take my money, there are players at some clubs that people say they are just there to pick up their wages, I don't feel like I'm classed as one of those because I'm ambitious. I came here first to Carlisle, I saw what the set-up was when we were in League Two, and they said they were going forward and everything, that's the reason why I came to this club because it's a sleeping giant, which I believe that it is.
" We've come up the two divisions, at my age, I'm 26 now and in the middle of my career, I've signed a two-year contract now that will take me to 28 and then what kind of a prospect will I be to get to the Championship then. I thought that at this stage of my career it was the right time to take a gamble, and it was a gamble, but I had to try to see what was out there to see if I could get to the Championship. Plus it would help my international career now that I have got an international career.
" I took a gamble and it hasn't worked out, if I'd waited down the line maybe five or ten years and then you say that you maybe could have played in the Championship. Now I know it hasn't worked out for me, I've tried, it hasn't worked out for me now, maybe it might do in the future - who is to know? I took a gamble now though which I said I was going to do.
" It hasn't really worked out as I didn't have an agent, I got an agent near the end of the season, and not a lot of work went into trying to get me into the Championship. It's up to me to try to play with Carlisle, see if we can take a step forward and get into the play-offs, or even if we can get up this season. Then I'll be in the Championship where I wanted to be, so hopefully that will be a better way.
" Hopefully the fans can understand my point of view that way, there was no slur on Carlisle because at Carlisle I have had five or six other League One clubs and even one League Two club ringing me up wanting me. There was no other club I wanted to go to in this division other than Carlisle, the only reason why I held out so long was to try to get into the Championship. "