Keith Millen says the “hunger and desire” shown by Joel Senior made him an attractive signing for Carlisle United.

The Altrincham right-back today became Millen’s first recruit as Blues manager.

And the United boss said the way the 22-year-old has battled back from past disappointments in the pro game spoke volumes.

Senior was released by boyhood club Oldham in his teens while he was more recently let go by Burnley.

But he has impressed in the National League and, after signing the defender on an 18-month deal, Millen said: “It was his desire to better himself.

“When he was at Altrincham, they train part-time but he would train on his own in the gym almost every day.

“When you’ve had a taste of full-time football like he’s had, and come away from it, you either accept it or think, ‘No, I want some more of that’.

“He’s had a taste of it, and feels and knows he’s good enough to go again. Hopefully we get the benefit of the disappointment of it not working for him at Burnley and I think that’s going to give him a lot more drive.

“That’s what I sense from talking to him. They’re the sort of people you want to work with: people that are hungry to get better.”

Millen said Senior was on the Blues’ radar before his appointment as manager in November.

And he believes the young defender’s versatility can be another positive trait.

“We’re really pleased to have him in,” the manager said today.

“He’s a player the club have been looking at since last April, so when I came he was one that was highlighted to me.

“I think he won all of the end of season awards at Altrincham last year and his stats on assists and things like that are really good.

“When they showed me him it looked like an interesting one, and I’ve been able to watch him three times now. He’s probably the player I’ve watched more than anyone, so we’ve certainly done our homework on him.

“He’s a young player who has had a taste at the top level at Burnley, and he was unlucky with Covid and different things there. He’s done really well at Altrincham for a year and a half and he deserves his chance now.

“I see him as a real prospect with potential [but] he’s come here to fight for a place now.”

While Senior is a right-back, Millen said he can operate comfortably on the left.

“I think he’s good enough as a left-back to compete for that position as well,” Millen said. “We are short in that area, definitely. It was a concern when I first came into the club.

“Yes, he sees himself more as a right-sided defender but some defenders are comfortable playing on both sides and some struggle with it.

“I’ve seen him play a couple of games for Altrincham at left-back. He’s more than happy going down that left side. It certainly helps, the fact he can cover both positions.”

Millen said Senior could be involved in the squad at Harrogate in Tuesday’s Papa John’s Trophy last-16 game.

He has made 23 appearances so far this campaign and Millen said: “I think he’s fit enough [to be involved tomorrow], because he’s a fit lad naturally anyway. I wouldn’t be worried about his fitness.

“I tried to give him a couple of principles of defending that I work from [in training] today, just to give him an idea. I even noticed in training today a couple of things I don’t particularly like. He’s learned a couple of things already today.

“He needs to learn about how we want to defend as individuals and in the unit, but that will come. Every time I get the chance to train with him and the group, it just depends how quickly he can learn and understand how we defend.

“I’ve got no worries in his attacking sense, that’s the strength of his game. The way we play, I want my full backs to get up and down and give us the width.

“They should be getting assists, and that’s what I’ve seen Joel do. He’s got good quality, and he’s going to be fighting for his place.

“But first of all he’s got to learn how to defend properly.”

Millen also said Senior was a good “investment” by the club in terms of his age and development potential.

“You always try and look for players you can add value to. He’s one of those who’s a real prospect.

“How quickly he gets in the team and has an impact, we don’t know yet. I think he’s got the basics of progressing and becoming a better player. Who knows then how far that can take him, and help us be a better team?

“It’s a longer-term project and he needs to learn what I want as quickly as possible.”

Senior is expected to be the first of a number of new faces at United this month, and Millen added that the Blues’ fee had triggered a clause in Senior’s deal at his National League outfit.

“We’ve paid an undisclosed fee which we knew was in the player’s contract at Altrincham,” he said.

“They realised what sort of player they had and there was a lot of interest in him, so we’ve done well to get him to sign for us.

“The club understand who our targets are and the reasons why. Hopefully it’s good money and he could be worth more in the future.”