Player Contract News From Brunton Park

Brendan McGill and Derek Holmes

It was decision day for the out-of-contract United players today and boss Paul Simpson has been speaking to them about their futures with the club after such a successful season. Planning always gets underway early for a new season, as Simmo looks to bring some more quality in for a new campaign at a higher level, while he also hopes to be able to keep hold of some of his star players this season. Strike-partners Michael Bridges and Karl Hawley in particular having had scouts flocking to Brunton Park on a regular basis.

Four Blues were out-of-contract this summer and the news regarding them is as follows :

Lee Andrews

Has been released by the club. The versatile 23-year old found it extremely hard to break into a first-team defence in such good form. Lee moved to Torquay on loan on the 17th of March until the end of the season, and with the Gulls securing League Two football next season he is currently waiting to hear if he will be offered a permanent contract with the Devonians. Andrews was also on-loan to Conference outfit York City earlier in the season, and made only two appearances for the United first-team this season.


Paul Arnison

The right-back has been offered a 12-month extension to his existing contract and has until the 20th of June to decide whether or not to take up the offer. Arnison has been pretty much a permanent feature in the Carlisle defence this season and has made 108 appearances for the club in total.


Kevin Gray

Carlisle's skipper and centre-half has been offered a 12-month extension to his existing contract and has until the 20th of June to decide whether or not to take up the offer. Gray has made 118 appearances for the Cumbrians in total, but at the age of 34 the clock is ticking and you wonder how many more seasons he has in his legs.


Derek Holmes

The big Scot was out-of-contract this summer, although he had a clause written in to his existing contract that automatically triggered a further 12-month contract if he made 30 appearances for the club this season. Holmes actually went well over that mark in the end, making 30 starts and ten from the bench just in the league, the 28-year old has made 63 appearances for the club in total.



There is also news on three more players who are currently under contract, Simon Grand, Brendan McGill and Glenn Murray (all to the summer of 2007) have been told that they will be placed on an "unofficial transfer list." That means that if any club comes in with a serious offer then it will be considered by the United coaching staff, although all three players will still be able to fight for their place in the Carlisle first-team in the meantime.