Raffa Links Up With The Terras (Again)

Raphael Nade

Ivorian-born right winger Nade has gone back to The Wessex Stadium on loan once more, although this time he has gone for the entire 2006-07 season, and with his contract up at the end of the current campaign, we could have seen the last of the likeable Frenchman in a Carlisle shirt. An added bonus for the newly-promoted Weymouth side being that there is no call-back clause in the deal, meaning the striker will also be available for FA Cup and Trophy ties.

Nade played for the Conference South champions last season after joining them on loan in late January 2006, initially for one month, which was then extended to two months. The 25-year old being in sparkling form for the Terras during his loan spell in Dorset, bagging nine goals in nine starts, plus one as a substitute, including a hat-trick at home to Newport County.

Infact his excellent run of scoring led Terras manager Garry Hill to make an undisclosed bid for the man United paid £30,000 to Woking for in the summer of 2005, although Nade wanted to return to Carlisle to fight for his first-team place at the end of the two month spell. After having talks with Blues boss Paul Simpson on his return from the South Coast though it became evident that Nade was not interested in signing for Weymouth on a permanent deal.

With no injuries in the Carlisle squad and the Blues lads in cracking form however, it was always going to be difficult for Raffa to find a place in the Cumbrians first-team and it seemed a sensible decision for him to go back down to the Wessex Stadium to complete a, maximum allowed, 93-day loan spell. Nade doing just that only two days after his return to Brunton Park.

Nade would eventually score 13 goals in 16 starts, plus one as a substitute, on the South Coast as he helped Weymouth to the Conference South title by the end of the season. His form for United, after his move from Conference National outfit Woking, was much more patchy though, the 25-year old making 14 starts, with 13 as a substitute, and only scoring two goals in the process.

It would certainly seem that Carlisle boss at the time, Paul Simpson, missed a trick when he didn't go all out to persuade Nade to move to Weymouth on a permanent basis when Terras boss Garry Hill made an undisclosed bid for the Frenchman just before transfer deadline day in late March 2006. United now facing the prospect of seeing the player leave for nothing at the end of the season, or if he has another successful spell at Weymouth, signing a pre-contract agreement with the Terras in January to link up with the Dorset club on a permanent basis at the start of July 2007 that way.