Carlisle United: how Jake Simpson arrival will benefit Blues

That is the view of assistant manager Gavin Skelton, following Simpson jnr’s appointment as Carlisle’s head of performance.

The 32-year-old’s move to the club was confirmed by United yesterday.

Simpson has left a similar role at Stockport County having previously been with Hartlepool United.

It comes as United expand that particular department of the club with manager Paul Simpson hoping it will help make players more “robust and resilient”.

No2 Skelton said: “It’s about building a structure and that’s what the manager’s really keen to do – build a strong infrastructure so we don’t just have success now but it gives a better chance of success over a period.

• Blues confirm Jake Simpson as new head of performance

“Squads are bigger now, and naturally, with the gaffer having been in the FA and other places, you see the structure behind him and he’s really good at organising the back-up team.

“When you play other teams you see the amount of staff they have in certain areas. It’s a massive part of football now, sports science.

“That strengthens what we’ve got and Jake will bring a lot of strengths to it.”

Jake’s sports science and conditioning know-how, coupled with his familiarity with the Blues, should make him an asset, Skelton feels.

Simpson junior played in Gavin Skelton's Workington Reds side (Image: Tom Kay)

“The club will get someone that knows the club, and that’s a big thing – he wants to do well for the club,” said the assistant boss.

“He is very organised and should hopefully know how it works. Sometimes when people come into that side, it’s not just about the knowledge – you need to know how to deal with players.

“He’s got vast experience of it, from playing and working, which is a massive thing, and for some strange reason I bet he has the belief of the manager as well…”

“I always think that you need to know the club – it gives you a massive benefit. There will be no surprises in the strengths and weaknesses he finds, so he’ll come in and hit the ground running without having to find his feet for three or four weeks.”

Skelton is also familiar with Simpson junior, having managed him during their respective spells at Workington Reds.

The new Blues coach was a youth player at Blackburn Rovers before going on to play under his father at Shrewsbury Town and Stockport County.

Simpson had later spells at Celtic Nation and Lancaster City as he progressed into coaching, including a period as a fitness coach at Carlisle.

He went on to Chesterfield as strength and conditioning coach before spells at AFC Fylde, Hartlepool and Stockport, the latter three roles under manager Dave Challinor and the most recent of which put him in opposition to his dad and the Blues in last season's League Two play-off final.

Paul Simpson, meanwhile, has said United are also looking to appoint a new strength and conditioning role with Jamie Roper set to leave the club soon.