United media officer Andy Hall (AH) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) this afternoon ahead of Carlisle's League One match at home to Bournemouth, Hall first talking about United defeating Oldham 3-1 at Brunton Park on Tuesday evening:
JP
We are looking out on a glorious pitch here hoping for another three points thank you very much for Carlisle United, a pleasure it was on Tuesday to get back to winning ways?
AH
Yeah, we needed it didn't we, I think you will have seen yourself, although you probably felt it yourself, the relief when that Joe Garner first goal went in. I think the lads felt it as well you know because all of a sudden the shackles were off and we started playing the football that we know they can play. Having said that you look at the Saturday game before that, the chances we created, unbelievable that at least one of them didn't go in and it was really important that we continued that, they did and we got the result that we deserved.
JP
Indeed you did, you obviously get to see more of the guys than we do through the week, and the fans do in particular, what have they been like this week then following the strong win as it was against Oldham?
AH
I think it was strange on Monday because of that result on Saturday where we didn't deserve to lose, you could have played that game ten times again this season and we would win 4-2 or 5-2, so that happens. It was important that they responded and I think there was a definite disappointment because it was one that got away, and it could be one where you look back at the end of the season and go, there you go, there is one that did get away, and that matters. So, they wanted to put it right and that is why it was so important after the first-half on Tuesday night not to get heads down, come out again second-half and keep going. LIke I say, once Joe got the first one there was only going to be one result.
JP
Yeah, I know, it was excellent to see that, speaking of people who have had disappointments recently, Rory Loy and Jon-Paul McGovern certainly in amongst that, but we believe that they are starting now full training after this game and going into next week. Great news that they could hopefully be back around the first team soon?
AH
Yeah, it is all about integration next week, and Dolly (Neil Dalton) is the master of that, he will make sure that both of the lads are doing what they need to do to ease them back into it. If it is not full contact by the end of the week so be it because that will be assessed on a day by day basis, but two really big players. J-P, what he can do on the right and Rory, he came into his own just before that injury, and that is when you really feel for a player because he was feeling his way into Carlisle United. Exploded, he was getting his goals, he was working well as part of a front three and then he got that horrible injury and we haven't seen him since, so yeah, fingers are crossed for both of them.
JP
Harry Arter, I know that the manager (Greg Abbott) has been speaking well of him and Harry has been speaking well of everyone at Carlisle United, including Greg, nice to see a lovely lad back, just hope he doesn't have so much impact here this time?
AH
It is a mirror of Paddy Madden for me, he wasn't doing very well at Bournemouth at the time, he couldn't get into the side, nobody knew what to do with him down there, sent him to Carlisle, I think Brighton away wasn't it and he scored, an absolute beauty.
JP
Wonderful, what a game it was.
AH
From there you are looking at Harry Arter as maybe could we try to keep this lad, and I know, I think Greg told you himself there was a few talks about that, went back to Bournemouth, started getting used and now they can't get him out of the side and he is one of their top scorers. So, he is a brilliant professional, exaclty what has happened with Paddy, Paddy couldn't do anything up here, gone to Yeovil, got his goals, you get a different player.
JP
You have not just revealed that he is coming back in then have you?
AH
I have no idea, honest to God I have no idea, so there is no scoop there. But, I think the manager is going to have a chat with Gary Johnson on Monday.
JP
In the programme notes today this is the designated One Game, One Community game for the fans coming along, what does that mean for them then?
AH
Well, to me I think I believe in all of this, you get a lot of criticism about Respect campaigns, about Kick It Out, and about One Game, One Community, people say what are they? What are they actually doing? To me as long as everybody acknowledges the fact that there are problems and there are problems that have to be dealt with, whether it is players ranting at officials or whether it is racism. As a club if you acknowledge there is a problem whatever happens on the pitch in this 90 minutes, if we get an incident then we have to deal with it, and that is what you are doing.
So, you are not saying by wearing a badge or a t-shirt that there isn't racism or there isn't a lack of respect, or that you are dealing with it because you are wearing a badge. What you are saying is you have acknowledged there is a problem and that is the first step to me. So, I can never understand criticism of any campaign, because if you have highlighted it and raised awareness then to me you have taken a very, very important first step.
JP
I presume where you are going with that is that some players have said that some of the campaigns don't do enough, but the fact that they are out there I guess you feel that the club have got to always start with something, the longest journey in a single step?
AH
I believe that passionately and if a player of a high profile like Rio Ferdinand, and I don't mind naming him, is coming out and criticising it then what are you doing about it Rio? What are these players doing about the situation? Because, all that a campaign can do is highlight something, it is then about what people do that matters. So, I don't know, I can never understand criticism of a campaign that is there to raise awareness.
JP
Yeah, very interesting on that point, final point on it, I know that Leroy Rosenoir and Clarke Carlisle have both talked about it and said that it is up to the players to do more than any campaign ever can. So, they need to highlight certain things for players and clubs and I guess this is what Carlisle will hope to be doing, just showing that they are a part of it?
AH
Absolutely that, and if it is a week of action or a fortnight of action then I believe, and I am not speaking for everybody, I believe we should support it, so for me on the media side of it we always will.
JP
And that is the game today, and what we are doing is we are hoping that that One Game, One Community day will have a nice decent Brunton Park crowd after the success in the week?
AH
Yeah, and we are always asking for more fans aren't we, they are the lifeblood of the club. Again, we acknowledge that we don't always engage in the way we should, there are reasons for that, everybody is working so hard down at this football club to make it better, to keep it alive and to keep it going. If we get the acknowledgement of that and we all start working together then maybe we will start moving forward even quicker.
JP
And just a nice stat to put over Greg Abbott's head, if he can win this one today, which is going to be no easy task...........
AH
Three in a row?
JP
Three in a row against Ebbsfleet, it could be the first time in his time at the club, it would be great to get that though?
AH
End of interview, goodbye James.