Corey Whelan: Why I stayed with promotion-chasing Carlisle United

The defender, who will feature for United in their play-off semi-final first leg at Bradford City tomorrow, could have left Brunton Park in January.

Whelan says it was a “difficult decision” to reject the interest, which boss Paul Simpson has said would have been more lucrative financially.

But he is settled with his call to remain with Carlisle as they try to see through their promotion challenge.

“It was a difficult decision, but in the end I decided that because I’d been with the club the best part of 18 months at that point, and the club was in a good place when the offer came in,” he said.

“Football changes so quickly, you can be at one place one minute and then you’re completely gone, and I just felt like I owed it to myself to stay about.

“I think it would have been wrong for me to go. I know things are out there that the financial reward was better but that didn’t make any difference to me.

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“I wanted to be part of a play-off chasing team, or an automatic chasing team, so that was where my decision was at.

“I decided to stay and I’m happy that I did.”

Whelan says he feels he has the trust of boss Simpson and that was also part of his thinking.

After a spell out of the side, he is delighted to be back in favour at a time the Blues are facing their biggest games of the season.

Whelan’s part in the defence is crucial at a time Carlisle are without the suspended Jon Mellish and injured Morgan Feeney.

The dependable ex-Liverpool and Wigan Athletic man said: “I’ve had to wait, but I’ve got the run of games at a crucial part of the season and it’s been good for me to come into the team.

Corey Whelan (Image: Ben Holmes)

“When I wasn’t playing you have frustration, anger, stuff like that, but you’ve just got to stay on top of it.

“Your chance can come at any point and if you haven’t done the small little details whilst you’re not playing, when you do play it can catch up to you. I’m really happy to be back, part of it and involved.”

Whelan says Carlisle must make the most of their opportunity now and not be left with regrets.

They go to Valley Parade tomorrow night in a huge first leg clash against Mark Hughes’ Bantams.

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“You don’t want to be that team that nearly did it and you’re known as the nearly men, and they’re saying we nearly got over the line,” said Whelan, speaking to United’s official channels.

“We’re here for a reason and we believe over two games that we can come out on top and get a trip to Wembley.

“Everybody at the football club wants that – the fans, the players, the staff, everybody’s families, so we’ve just got to get out there and give a good account of ourselves on Sunday.

“We know there are two legs and it’s still all to play for after Sunday night, so the first part of the task is to make sure we do that first leg properly.

“These are the games you want to play in. As a kid growing up I think everyone would say the same thing.

“Games with no pressure are just another game of football, so if the pressure from this is the magnitude of it, with it being on TV, or whatever it is, it’s still pressure and we know that as a group.

“We’re not naïve enough to think that it’s not a big pressure game but these are the ones we want to be involved in. I feel like everyone in there is just raring to go.”