Paul Simpson has challenged Carlisle United to handle the occasion as they bid to revive their promotion bid in front of Brunton Park's biggest league crowd for 15 years.

United this morning confirmed they have sold 10,500 home tickets so far for the Good Friday clash with Tranmere Rovers.

It guarantees at least the biggest home league crowd since 2008.

United’s smashing of their 10k target through their #10for10 ticket discount offer comes at a time the Blues are desperate to end a run of four games without a win or a goal.

A positive Easter can breathe fresh life into their automatic promotion hopes.

And manager Simpson says his players have to respond to the big backing they will get.

“We’re expecting a really good crowd, and I hope the players are able to deal with that,” he said.

United have already beaten the last 10,000 crowd they attracted to a home league game, which came in February 2019 as 10,459 watched the 3-2 defeat to MK Dons, a game also underpinned by a ticket offer.

The next target will be 12,148 that attended the 2-0 home defeat to Leeds United in September 2008.

Carlisle start Easter weekend two points outside the top three, and take on a pair of mid-table opponents with Tranmere’s visit followed by a trip to Walsall on Easter Monday.

United’s hopes have been checked recently but with seven games to go, Simpson insists that promotion remains very much up for grabs.

“There’s loads of points to play for,” he said.

News and Star: Our rallying cry for United's run-inOur rallying cry for United's run-in (Image: Gary York / Newsquest)

“We are still in a really good opportunity with teams coming to play us, and we can affect them and affect our own position – that’s all we’ve got to do.

“I’ve said it all along – we do our job properly, the rest will take care of itself, and we’ve got seven games where we have to do our job properly.”

Carlisle’s promotion odds have lengthened after their four-game barren run, with the Blues now hoping to avoid going on their worst goalless league run since 2017.

A timely return to form can see United restore much-needed confidence ahead of the final run-in and Simpson admits their Easter games are bigger because of their recent results.

“The first one is really important,” added the manager, who expects to be without injured Morgan Feeney and Fin Back against Tranmere. “In front of our own supporters, we’ve got to get back on the bike again and make sure we do it really well.

“If we can get a result in that one it sets us up for the Monday game.

“We all know it’s not done. There’s a lot to play for, a lot of teams chasing and trying to catch us.”

On United’s striving to get back on the goal trail, the manager added: “We’re talking about a group of players who have that quality, and what I’ve told them is that they have to get back to it.

“We didn’t score 58 goals by chance, we did it because things were done properly.

“We’ve got to grab this by the short and curlys now because otherwise we’re going to let the fantastic opportunity we’ve given ourselves go.

“In football these chances don’t come very often so you have to take them when you get them.”