Carlisle United's Paul Simpson targets 'proud' day at Wembley

The Blues’ brilliant play-off semi-final win over Bradford City means they will take on Stockport County next Sunday in a bid to reach League One.

Simpson admitted the scenes on a stunning Brunton Park day on Saturday were among his most memorable in football.

And he now wants Carlisle to end their campaign with the ultimate finish.

“I do not want to go and make the numbers up at Wembley. I want to go and perform,” he said.

“I want to go and get things right…give our supporters someone to smile about, give our players something to be proud about, everybody's families something to be proud about.

“We've got an opportunity to do it now. And when you get opportunities in football, you have to do everything you can to grab them.”

Paul Simpson applauds the fans at the play-off clash (Image: Ben Holmes)

Carlisle’s 3-1 extra-time and 3-2 aggregate win over Mark Hughes’ side triggered jubilant celebrations among a 15,401 crowd - Brunton Park's biggest for a play-off game.

It sent United into a Football League play-off final for the first time in their history – and a first Wembley appearance in 12 years.

Their shot at promotion at the national stadium will be culmination of a superb resurgence since Simpson returned to the club last year.

“I can't tell you how proud I am,” he added after the extra-time win over the Bantams.

“It's just been absolutely fantastic.

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“From coming back in last February, and then the changes that we made in the summer, the way the staff have all dug in, everybody on the football side have rallied round, the non footballing staff, the commercial, the hospitality…everybody has had a monumental effort to get us to where we are today to allow us to have over 15,000 fans in the ground.

“Now we've got to make sure we do things right this week and get ourselves ready to go.”

Simpson admitted much of the game was a “blur” but was certain that United were worthy winners against Bradford, who had led 1-0 after the first leg.

After a Brad Halliday own-goal levelled the tie, Callum Guy struck in extra-time before Matt Derbyshire pegged United back.

Ben Barclay then headed Carlisle’s winner – the defender now unable to play in the final because United face his parent club.

Paul Simpson shows his emotion on the touchline late in Saturday's game (Image: Ben Holmes)

“People might disagree with me here, especially the Bradford people, but I think we deserve a lot of credit for the way we've gone about it,” added Simpson.

“I totally accept that in the first 25 minutes of the first leg, they were easily the better side. We weren't good enough. I put that down to nerves.

“But I think from that point on, I think we've shown real character, shown we can play football when everybody wants to say we're quite direct, we've created chances, we’ve scored from chances.

“I don't care whether people think we get a lot of goals from set plays. That's not luck. That's a skill – we've got players who can deliver the ball. We've got players who want to attack it.

“And I know Ben Barclay’s goal was a second phase of a set play, but what a delivery from Mox [Owen Moxon] and what a great little touch that took the keeper out of the game.

“And people can say what they like, but I think we have thoroughly deserved it over the two games.”

Simpson was rewarded for bringing JK Gordon back into the side from suspension after his pressure forced the opening goal.

And he said of Guy’s extra-time strike: “As it's coming out of the air I’m thinking, ‘No, don't shoot…oh, great strike. Great goal’.”

Paul Simpson embraces coaches Gavin Skelton and Paul Gerrard at full-time (Image: Ben Holmes)

Simpson added: “The character’s the biggest thing. I said at half-time it was our headspace that was going to get us over the line. Whatever was between our ears was the big part of what was going to get us over the line, and I think that the headspace was absolutely outstanding. That's finished the game for us.”

Carlisle also earned plaudits for silencing League Two’s top scorer – Bradford’s prolific ex-United striker Andy Cook – for a fourth time this season.

“I've got to be honest, I had that little bit of fear that, because we'd kept him quiet for three I thought this could be his day,” admitted Simpson.

“But I think we marshalled him really well. Every single one of them, whoever was playing – Corey [Whelan], Ben, Hunts [Paul Huntington]. And I thought Callum Guy did a good job screening in front of them.

“I thought we had a really good plan over two games and I thought the plan went really well, even though we had that set-back with them getting the goal.

“The players just kept that belief, kept working and even though cramp was setting in, they've dug in and earned a really big, big, big result.”

Simpson's former club Stockport reached the final after a 3-1 penalties win over Salford City, having won their second leg 2-1 to draw 2-2 on aggregate after extra-time.

Ex-Carlisle striker Jack Stretton scored the goal that took it to penalties with another former Blue, Paddy Madden, on target for the Hatters in the shoot-out at Edgeley Park.