Paul Simpson has spoken of his hope that Derby County will not recall striker Jack Stretton from Carlisle United.

The League One club say they will make a decision next month on Stretton’s immediate future.

Rams boss Paul Warne last week said he would not interrupt Stretton’s season-long loan in January unless he was likely to go straight into their first team.

The prospects appear positive for the 21-year-old to see out his full campaign with the Blues.

But it is a waiting game for United until that decision is certain.

Simpson said he is prepared to be patient before Carlisle get the green light from Derby on Stretton.

“We don’t have a choice,” Simpson said.

“But we’ve been really fortunate Derby have allowed us to loan him. I can’t criticise them, it’s totally their right to do that.

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“They’ve got a new manager who doesn’t really know Jack.

“I think he’s in a really good place. I know he hasn’t played a lot of minutes, but he was getting minutes until he got injured, and he’s now working his way back into the team.

“I hope we can keep him. Unfortunately it’s not in our hands and I just hope Derby look and they’ve got David McGoldrick, James Collins, Lewis Dobbin, Will Osula…a whole host of players that [means] I hope they can decide Jack can stay with us.”

Stretton has made 17 appearances and scored twice for the Blues this season.

The forward has recently recovered from an ankle problem and should be involved in this weekend’s FA Cup second round trip to Walsall.

Derby boss Warne, speaking to the Derby Telegraph last week, said of the frontman: “I haven’t had any conversations with him yet, but I have watched some of his goals to be fair.

"Richie Barker [Derby assistant] did speak to [Carlisle's] manager the other day to see how it was going. They asked if we were going to pull him back. They need to know but we said we would make that decision in December.

"Just leave him where he is - he's playing when he's fit. He's enjoying it. I am not saying we would not bring him back for the benefit of the club.

"But if I am not bringing him back to play then there's no point coming in and sitting behind everybody else."