Paul Simpson has challenged Sam Fishburn to up his game as the young Carlisle United striker prepares to head back out on loan.

Manager Simpson confirmed that the teenager was set to join another club having seen a spell with Blyth Spartans end early.

The Blues boss said Blyth were “not particularly happy” with the 18-year-old’s showings.

Simpson said that, while United wanted him to get more game time at the north east club, he did not blame Blyth for not selecting him.

READ MORE: Carlisle United striker returns early from loan

He instead issued a challenge to the big striker to get back to the form he showed last season when underlining his potential.

Simpson said he has spoken to Fishburn about the situation and added: “He certainly realises he’s not doing what we all want him to do, and he’s not doing what he wants to do.

“He’s telling me he wants to go and do well when I’ve spoken to him this morning.

“I asked the question if another loan comes up, what do you need to do? He said, ‘I need to go and work hard and show enthusiasm, and put myself in areas where I’m going to score goals’.

“He knows what’s required, it’s just going out and producing it.”

Simpson said another loan move should be sealed in the next 24 to 72 hours, to a club who have been monitoring Fishburn’s situation since pre-season.

He hopes the deal will go through in order for Fishburn to play for his new club this weekend.

On the premature end of Fishburn’s three-month loan with National League North club Blyth, Simpson said: “We had a conversation with Blyth and they weren’t particularly happy with what he was doing.

“I wasn’t particularly happy that he wasn’t playing but I don’t blame Blyth for it - if he’s not doing the job then they’re not going to play him.

“We can’t send players out on loan and expect them just to get a free run at it, they have to perform.

“Graham Fenton [the Blyth manager] didn’t feel as if Fish was, and we had a conversation about bringing him back.”

Fishburn scored for United’s reserves in their Central League Cup win at Fleetwood Town on Tuesday, but Simpson says the young pro must do more to impress.

READ MORE: Late Fishburn goal hands Carlisle United reserve victory

“I’ve watched his clips on WyScout, and I’ve had a conversation with Sam to explain to him what he needs to do better and differently,” Simpson added.

“If he gets that opportunity to go out on loan again he needs to show everybody he can step up and get back up to the level of player he was before Christmas of last year, when he went to Lancaster and banged goals in left, right and centre, he was involved in our first team…he’s got to get back to that.

“All young players go through peaks and troughs in their career. He has to make sure this is a little trough he’s going to get himself out of.

“I’d be more concerned if he’s never produced it and we’ve got a player with us nobody thinks is capable. He’s obviously got some level of ability because he’s shown that.

“I’ve got to say, it was before I came, because since I’ve been in this football club I haven’t seen what people tell me he’s capable of.

“People might say that’s my fault, but I don’t really know where my fault is on that – he has to show everybody what he’s capable of, it’s as simple as that.

“Everybody can see from me first coming in to this club, I will just say it as it is. I’m not saying anything publicly that I haven’t said to Sam himself.

“He has to now grab hold of this situation and do something about it. We can only work with him the days he’s in with us. When he gets another opportunity, wherever that might be, he has to grab it with both hands.

“The challenge for him is that he has to go and show everybody that he wants to be a professional footballer.

“Hopefully he’ll do that, bang a load of goals in and we’ll be recalling him at the halfway point [of his next loan] to come and do it for us.”