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Shaun came through the youth system at Carlisle and was captain of the youth side in the second year of his YTS deal, the 19-year old then going on to earn a two-year professional contract in the summer of 2007. Vipond, making three substitute appearances in March and April of that year, before finally making his first start on the final day of the 2006-07 season away to Scunthorpe.
A bad knee injury and a glut of central midfielders at Brunton Park has led to Shaun finding space to get a game extremely limited though with him having never even been on the bench since that May 2007 afternoon. That, with Workington boss Darren Edmondson also keen to sign Vipond permanently, leading to United paying up the final seven months of Shaun's contract to enable him to make that permanent move to Borough Park.
Reds manager Darren Edmondson commenting to BBC Radio Cumbria on his new signing :
" I think that everybody is aware of Shaun Vipond and his pedigree. I am delighted to get him out of Carlisle United, my thanks go out to Greg (Abbott) and John Nixon at Carlisle for helping me on the way with that one today. They have helped Shaun be released from his contract and have paid him up for him to be able to join us. That is one under the belt that I wanted, that was the main one really.
" It was bit unfortunate that he didn't have many games pre-season, which everybody knows is important to get a lot of games under your belt in pre-season. Then I was playing him to the right of midfield, which again is not his true position. So as the months have gone on and he has played more games and moved into a central role his fitness is coming and his sharpness. In the last three or four games he has been one of our better players and he got a fantastic goal last week.
" Getting Shaun was important, I am expecting Shaun to now put some performances in for us. It is an environment in which I think Shaun has been happy, he knows a few of the lads already and there is a good team spirit in there. I feel that that was a kind of a pull towards him coming, he was umming and arring at the start of the week as to whether he was going to wait and try to keep his options open.
" We have persuaded him to come in though and just put a smile on his face and play some games. He has got ability and if he continues to improve and progress then he will climb back up the ladder. It was just a chance though for us and him to get together and enjoy his football and play to the best of his ability, and who knows what will happen. "
First Team Transfers 2008-09 : Click here