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 League One match at home to Bury, Hall first talking about the good form the Blues have been putting together at Brunton Park :
JP
What a day it promises to be then, Carlisle United looking for a 14th match without defeat at Brunton Park?
AH
Unbelievable isn't it, well maybe it isn't with the way the lads have been playing and the squad that has been assembled by Greg Abbott. They have certainly worked hard enough here at Brunton Park and I think the reward is the fact that the home run has actually kept us on the edge of the play-off positions, we have to be honest about that. If we can now marry up that away form, and the first test of that will be next weekend, what an end to the season it could be. But, the platform has been built here in what is now becoming a bit of a fortress and that is all you can ever ask for.
JP
Yeah, hopefully that can be one of the elements that will bring one or two back here today, something that Greg Abbott has been talking about quite a bit in the build-up to, after and since the victory over Rochdale and the crowd that we got that Tuesday night?
AH
Yeah, and I think if you put aside all the rest of the issues, the finances and everything that goes with fans who come through the gate, he actually thinks the players deserve it. They have had a couple of poor performances, we have all spoken about those away from home, but by and large we are where we are because we deserve to be where we are. We have worked hard for it, we have played the football, we have got the results and we are pushing on.
So, all we need now is to get over the line, and it is a very hard line to get over because there are some really good teams in League One, and there are some teams at the bottom who will now perk up. One of those teams will get out of it, will come from nowhere and finish mid-table, we don't want it to be at the expense of us. So, if you can spare the time, if you can spare the cash if things are hard out there, come along and support us in these last few games and get us over that line.
JP
And it is a constant plea isn't it, and I know a lot of football clubs are doing it up and down the line, but what I was hoping would come out of my interview with Greg yesterday was the reality of what happens when it doesn't. You are looking at Stevenage bringing in Patrick Agyemang and another player on loan to try to shore up their team and their push for the play-offs, Carlisle United missed out on Stuart Parnaby and Greg Abbott said: 'yeah, we just didn't have the money, if we had had a few more coming week in and week out we would have had him in the squad and we would have been better for it'.
AH
Well, the owners, hand in hand with the directors, they are determined to make sure that this football club is here long after all of us have gone and moved on and other people are in the jobs and in the seats. The only way to do that is to make sure that you trade with whatever you have got to trade with, do business with whatever is in the coffers, every now and then as we have done this season and last season to an extent, you maybe push the boundary a little bit to try to get over the line yourselves. But, the more people who come along and buy into that, the further you can push that line out.
Maybe even if we get the attendances that we really would like up towards the 6,000-7,000, every single week whether it is a poor performance or a decent performance then all of a sudden you are looking at the kinds of players who are in that next bracket along. Having said that, you can't criticise the squad that has been assembled here because they are all players who you would comfortably put in the top level League One sides or even into Championship teams. But, to have done it the way that we have done it is a massive pat on the back for the club, now we need the fans to be coming and giving us a pat on the back as well.
JP
I don't agree, I don't think Lee Miller is good enough for any of those top level Championship or League One sides, if you are listening any of you top level Championship or League One sides. Great speaking to you, let's hope that the run continues here, I was looking into it, the home run 22, that is in the mid-90s that one, it is incredible isn't it, 22 at home without defeat is the record, so a bit of a way to go on that one yet. But, it is something to aim for?
AH
It is edging ever closer and when you start to look at all the little runs that come with home runs and stuff like that, there is 15, there is 17, there is 19, they are all targets where Greg Abbott could notch off a certain type of club record under his belt. That is fantastic, it is great for the lads, great for the club, and if we keep doing it to the end of the season then it might just be a really, really good end for all of us.