United media officer and first team kitman Andy Hall (AH) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) this afternoon ahead of Carlisle's pre-season friendly at home to Doncaster, Hall explaining the reasoning behind the fixture :
JP
A pre-season friendly of course, a great opportunity for the players to get their fitness but more to this day than just the football side of things today?
AH
Yeah, of course, Sean McDaid last season, terrible news, 14 games into it he was looking really good as well. He said himself that he felt he needed 15 or 16 games to get back into it, we felt he was getting there, really innocuous thing down at Exeter I seem to remember, he felt a click in his knee and from that moment on it swelled up and eventually come January we all got that horrible news, his career was written off, he couldn't play football any more.
So, it seemed a natural thing to do, we had already arranged with Doncaster to play the game, the fact that he had moved from Leeds and had such a fantastic time at Doncaster with League trophy wins, with promotion, with finals at Wembley and all the stuff he did there and then coming to us, it seemed a natural thing to do to offer it as a benefit game for the lad.
JP
And we have just had a presentation from both clubs down on the pitch, were you down there? Did you see what exactly happened there?
AH
I did indeed, I got Mr (Andrew) Jenkins our chairman out there to do the Carlisle United presentation, on behalf of the club he is going to get one of the brand new signed shirts from all of the current players along with a little silver memento, and on behalf of Doncaster Rovers supporters he has also got a plaque to come off them as well. So, something from both clubs to maybe, perhaps not now but in a few years time look back on and think yeah, enjoyed that.
JP
In terms of Doncaster, Sean O'Driscoll has done us proud hasn't he, he has got a really, really strong side here, it should be a real spectacle on this day of all?
AH
Well, you sort of look at the teamsheet and you see names like (James) Coppinger and (James) Hayter and (Billy) Sharp, I mean wow what a team that is. You think to yourself yeah, this is a good Championship side and we will certainly be tested today because they won't be here just to bask in the sunshine, they will come here to make sure that they are preparing right as well, because every division you are in, no matter what it is in the Football League, it is a tough one, you have got to do it right.
JP
In terms of Carlisle United, more of a fluid line-up than I have seen for a while with them, this one could be all manner of different things and you tell me that that is exactly what it is. Just go through it again, Adam Collin in goal, Frank Simek at right-back, Matty Robson left-back, central defenders will be Stephen O'Halloran and Lubomir Michalik, then you have got Tom Taiwo and Paul Thirlwell, then you have to look quite hard to find another central midfielder, so you could maybe guess at Jon-Paul McGovern with Andy Welsh and Craig Curran either side of Francois Zoko upfront. Could be that, could be different?
AH
Could be, you have got the option to go wide which is an option that we didn't really have that much, particularly when we lost Ben Marshall last season, so there is an option with two players that can push wide and they can deliver with force and with venom. You have also got Frank Simek who can back up and do that on one side with Matt Robson on the other, so if that is a tactic that is working then all well and good, if it isn't you can then push Jon-Paul McGovern inside, sit Paul Thirlwell a little bit deeper, maybe get Andy Welsh and Tom Taiwo to work just that little bit harder than they would have to if they had a midfield four, and then you have got yourself another option, and with Francois Zoko what the heck do you tell him to do?
JP
Who knows? Just go out there and play Francois, C'est magnifique and all of that. We are getting pushed for time, we are approaching kick-off and the players just coming back in around us, we will just quickly ask you, it is the first time back here at Brunton Park, the new ticketing system is in place, how is it all going on this which is a good opportunity to test it out ahead of the big opener against Notts County?
AH
And that is what it is for us, it is a massive big test, there are a few queues around the ground that we want to try to get rid of as the season progresses, well not as the season progresses, as the next few weeks progresses. It is all about us getting used to it with real live fans out there trying to get into the game, it is all about the fans getting used to it as well, making sure that they know what to do when they are coming in so that they are swiping in and out. We can get our trends, we can see where we need to not so much employ our staff but where we need to concentrate to make sure that everybody is getting into the ground when they need to and as they need to. There will be teething problems, we will take those on the chin, hopefully we will move forward and we think it is a fantastic system.
JP
And for those who will come and might find using it and other aspects of it frustrating, I can personally say that I have used these systems at Derby County and Manchester City and they both do work brilliantly once they get going, so that is the hope?
AH
That is it, I mean it is the first day for our stewards to do it as well so they are getting used to it, but once everybody is used to the system, working it, I think we will all find it is a massive step forward for the club.
Meanwhile Lord Clark of Windermere (LCoW) commented to James Phillips (JP) :
JP
And just quickly we have got Lord Clark of Windermere here, Lord Clark one of the directors at Carlisle United, we will have to be brief because we are drawing towards kick-off, but nice to be back here, nice to be back at Brunton Park with a new season just weeks away now?
LCoW
Yes, it is great to be back and you know today is going to be the first real test I think we have had, just looking at them training Doncaster are going to be a hard nut to crack and we have got to do it, a big challenge, we have got a lot of brand new players and they look good so the manager (Greg Abbott) has got lots of choice today.
JP
And a beautiful day for these fans here to come today at home and watch their team?
LCoW
Yes it is and of course the excitement is here, it is a beautiful, beautiful day, and then of course we have got Middlesbrough next week so it just goes on and on and on before the season starts.