What Carlisle United's players can expect on trip to Largs this week

The Blues squad are heading north of the border for the latest stage in their pre-season preparations.

Largs, on the North Ayrshire coast, is a popular destination for football clubs who often make use of the state-of-the-art facilities at the National Sports Training Centre Inverclyde.

Carlisle are also planning a behind-closed-doors training game against a Scottish side during the trip.

Simpson hopes it will benefit his players both on and off the pitch.

“It’s going to be working again, and it’s just an opportunity to live together for the five days – be under each other’s skin where you learn a lot about people,” the Carlisle boss said.

“We’ll be training, we’re going to play games, and it’s also getting everybody together and a change of scenery.

“It can become a bit ‘Groundhog Day’ when you’re in the same place every day, and we know once we come back and get that first game against Crawley, we’re going to be here now until May of next year.

“I think a change of scenery does you the world of good. I’m looking forward to getting everybody away, being together all the time, and no doubt there will be some initiations; people will have to perform as new players and things like that…

“It just gets a little bit of spirit in the group. Trying to get an understanding of what’s required this season to take us where we want to go.”

Simpson has not so far revealed which Scottish side his team will take on in a friendly tomorrow.

“It’s going to be an in-house game. Similar to the Morton game, where we’re just gonna try and have a real good workout against a good Scottish side,” said Simpson.

“I think it’ll be another big test for us, again because they’re a few weeks ahead of us, but it’s a game I think will be a brilliant extension of our training programme.”

United’s training camp comes as Britain braces itself for a heatwave.

Sidelined Omari Patrick will join the squad in Largs, Paul Simpson says (photo: Barbara Abbott)

While temperatures could climb to 33 degrees Celsius in Carlisle tomorrow, a slightly cooler 24C is forecast for Largs on the same day.

“It means we haven’t even had to queue up in airports to get our warm weather training,” added Simpson.

“The forecast is really good, the facility up there is excellent, I’m looking forward to it.

“It will be a work week, it’s not a case of going up and having a jolly up. We’ll see how we are when we come back from it.”

Simpson stressed the trip would be football-based and not about "building rafts, camping out or any of that stuff".

He said he believed true team bonding came from working hard together in a football setting.

Jamie Devitt will be with the squad as he continues his bid to earn a contract.

Simpson also said injured frontman Omari Patrick would be joining the squad on the trip.

“We are really hoping that Omari will be fit at some point [this] week, fit to join in,” said Simpson at his press conference last Friday.

“He’s still got some discomfort now. So I’m not prepared to rush him. It’s a bit of bruising on the bone.

“We need to make sure it’s right. If he misses two or three pre-season games – and, in truth, if he has to miss one league game to make sure he gets rid of the problem and he’s ok moving forward – that’s what we’ll have to do.”

The trip comes ahead of United's final pre-season friendly at Morecambe next Saturday.