Whelan: Carlisle United out to cause surprises in League One

The newly-promoted Blues are underdogs heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

But defender Whelan feels Paul Simpson’s team can defy predictions and unsettle some of the division’s bigger clubs.

He said: “I don’t think it’s a massive [step up] – although it is a step up in leagues and you look at the calibre of some of the teams up and down the division, the likes of Reading, Blackpool, Wigan…

“It’s going to be tough, we know that – but we’re here to upset the party, we’re here to surprise a few, that’s what we want to do.

“It’s a great challenge for everyone.”

Whelan – who has played at League One level with Wigan Athletic – and United have played three pre-season games so far and are preparing for another during this week’s training camp at the University of St Andrews.

• Fans gallery from Carlisle United's friendly at Workington Reds

Things are gathering pace as they prepare for life back in the third tier for the first time since 2014.

It follows May’s unforgettable play-off final victory at Wembley – something Whelan stressed that they cannot dwell too much on now.

“It’s one that you get asked a lot – do you keep hold of what happened at the end of last year?” said the ex-Liverpool man.

Whelan celebrates at Wembley (Image: PA)

“I think you’ve got to take parts of it, because that’s what football’s about. Those days are ones you’ll cherish forever – but it’s now a new season, a new campaign, there’s new faces and we have got to kind of leave that behind in some way.

“We need to make sure we’re ready for the League One campaign coming up.”

Whelan proved a highly dependable figure in Simpson’s squad last season and, though he also had to deal with a period out of the side as the boss preferred other centre-halves, he was rewarded with a key role in the run-in, including a start in the Wembley final.

Simpson has recruited more defenders this summer with the likes of Ben Barclay and Sam Lavelle direct rivals for Whelan’s place.

The 25-year-old, though, is comfortable with that as he heads into his third season at Brunton Park, Whelan having turned down an offer to leave United in January.

“It’s healthy competition and you need that, whether you’re here or at another club,” he said.

“That happens everywhere, not just here. We’ll all be chomping at the bit to be on the teamsheet for the first game of the season.”

Carlisle defeated Workington Reds on a rainswept day in their most recent friendly.

Whelan said of the game: “It was difficult conditions and the game was the same for both teams – it was windy, wet, a little bit miserable, but we got what we could from it.

“Lads got more minutes, we scored more goals and won the game, that’s ultimately the main thing.

Whelan proved a dependable defender for United last season (Image: Ben Holmes)

“Everyone’s in a good place. We’ve been back now the best part of two-and-a-half weeks, it was a shortened break as well, we’re all fit and healthy, we’ve got no niggles and no injuries at the minute, no long-term or anything like that so long may that continue.”

Of United’s week north of the border, Whelan added: “It’s good to be together for a period of days where you’re doing everything together – eating together, sleeping there, training and playing the game that we’ve got up in Scotland.

“It will be good to get together, because there are new faces that need to be integrated into it as well.

“We know we probably haven’t got the biggest budget [in League One] but you can see what can take a group forward with how we did it last season.

“If you’re tight-knit and do things properly it breeds good things.”