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" We weren't surprised, the gate was actually 1,573 not 1,753 so the figure is slightly less. But what we predicted was between 1,500 and 2,000 for that game so it was within our predictions even though it was at the low end. Things are very, very difficult for us at the club, they are very difficult times.
" Our performance isn't very good, we are down near the bottom end of the league so it is very, very difficult for us. But bear in mind that that game on Tuesday night was in the early stages of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. It wasn't a league game so we were only expecting a smaller crowd.
" Amazingly enough if you think about our takings, our takings for a gate like that in total is actually £13,197. Now what we are allowed to do is deduct our stewarding costs from that and costs of Macclesfield's travel to the game and some other smaller costs. Then we keep 45% of the profits, so we will make round about £3,000 from Tuesday night, so we will actually make a small profit from it.
" I think the first thing to think about is that gates are down nationally, it is a very, very difficult time for football. People have less money to spend on leisure activities and some of that money is going elsewhere to more attractive things. So we do need to look at promotions and things to help our gates at Carlisle United.
" But if you think even our average gate at the moment is over 5,500 in a league game, we went to Walsall on Saturday and played them in a league game there and there were only 3,500 fans at Walsall. So there are people in our league who are struggling more than us.
" A recession doesn't last forever, you have ups and downs in football, hopefully we can turn our performance round on the pitch and that will help in the shorter term. Then we will come out of the credit crunch, and we are doing what we can at the club now, we will come out in a better state. "