Championship prospect Callum O’Hare joins a legion of new signings hoping for a Carlisle United debut today and said: I’m ready to show what I can do.

The Aston Villa loan man lines up alongside Nathan Thomas, Peter Grant and Stefan Scougall in the Blues squad for the first time.

They are all set to be involved in this afternoon’s six-pointer at home to play-off rivals Exeter (kick-off 3pm).

And promising midfielder O’Hare said he is ready to make his mark in what he hopes will be a fruitful spell of first-team football at Brunton Park.

“Coming through at Villa has been brilliant – it’s a great club with great fans – but my time is now to come here, show Carlisle fans what I can do and hopefully push on as a footballer,” the 20-year-old said.

“I can’t wait to get out there and play.”

O’Hare has promised to bring creativity to boss Steven Pressley’s midfield options as the Blues aim for a ninth win in 10 games.

He said he felt United was the best place to further his career in this half-season loan spell. “Once the move was pushed forward, and Villa let me know about it, they said it was a good club for me to go to,” O’Hare said.

“So I had a good look into Carlisle and found out it was a big club with big aims.

“I did my research and found out they’ve got loads of fans, a nice stadium, pushing for promotion…it’s just what I’m about.”

O’Hare has been in the Villa first-team squad this season and has nine senior appearances to his name.

He said he is inspired to succeed by the way other home-grown players, like Jack Grealish, have excelled at Villa Park.

“That inspires everyone around the club, knowing you can come through from such a young age, like Jack did, and make it to be one of their best players if not their best player,” O’Hare said.

“I’ve been at Villa since I was six and have learned a lot from some good players.

“It’s all I’ve known throughout the years but now it’s time for a change – and this is a change I needed.”

Fifth-placed United are hoping to bridge the three-point gap to the automatic places whilst keeping one of the chasing pack at bay. Matt Taylor’s seventh-placed visitors are a point behind the Blues.

O’Hare, a Villa colleague of Pressley’s son Aaron, who is in the under-18 side at the Midlands outfit, says he is ready for the challenge of adapting to fourth-tier football.

“I’ve watched a few games and it’s much better than what I thought it was gonna be,” he added.

“It’s different tactics and different ways of playing, but you just have to adapt and try and put your way of playing football into the team.

“I like to get on the ball a lot and make things happen. I also like to chip in with a few goals and, on the defensive side, I will work hard. I’ll do everything I can for the team.”

Defender Gary Liddle could return to the squad after a knee injury while another new signing, Mark Cullen, is also close to a comeback after a leg injury.

* Winners of our competition to win a pair of tickets for today's game are Bill Foy, Paul Mitchelhill and James Tripney.