Paul Simpson says his history with Derby County goes out of the window today – as he plots their downfall with Carlisle United.

The Blues manager played for the Rams from 1992 to 1997 and was later the club’s assistant manager.

But despite his close connections with today’s visitors, it is all about striving for another positive day for Carlisle in League One (Brunton Park, 3pm).

Ahead of a game which is set to attract Brunton Park’s biggest League One crowd for 15 years, Simpson said: “From my time at Derby County as a player and a member of staff, I’ve got fantastic memories.

“I think it’s a wonderful football club, I’ve got so many positive memories of it.

“But when it comes to Saturday I desperately want to win.

“I’ve got far too many friends who are coming to the game who are Derby County fans, and I’ve got people from Derby who are staying with me and [my wife] Jacqui this weekend – but I want it to be Carlisle United’s weekend, and once the game’s finished I can start remembering the positive times there.

“But I want this to be a Carlisle United afternoon.”

Carlisle take on Derby in league football for the first time since 1984 this afternoon.

With a sell-out travelling support on the way to Cumbria, and strong home numbers, a five-figure crowd will pack out Brunton Park – where the Waterworks End is open to home fans for the first time this season.

United are set to go past this season’s highest home crowd so far – the 10,279 opening-day attendance for the Fleetwood Town game – and other crowd landmarks could be in reach.

The gate could threaten high points of recent third-tier times such as the 12,148 that attended the visit of Leeds United in September 2008.

Other five-figure crowds from that League One era at United include 12,223 against Bournemouth in May 2008 and 16,668 against Leeds United in November 2007.

With United’s American would-be owners, the Piatak family, set to be at the game ahead of their meeting with supporters' trust members on Sunday, it promises to be a major weekend at Carlisle.

Simpson, whose side are unbeaten in three league games, said: “I think it’s probably fair to say Derby are the biggest club in this league. They’ve got stadium, training facilities, a group of players who in all fairness probably should be playing higher than this.

“But they’re here for a reason and they’re not finding it easy because it is a tough level.

“I’m really looking forward to the game. I’ve looked at them and there’s areas where we can make it count, where we can really go and affect it, and the size of Derby County Football Club and fanbase will not be what affects the game on Saturday afternoon – it will be about how we go and try and stifle the threats they’ve got, how hard we work, how we press, and then when we win the ball, how we go and play.

“If we can play like we have done in passages over the season, we can cause them problems.”

News and Star: Luke Plange will face his former club todayLuke Plange will face his former club today (Image: PA)

Simpson believes the consistency of United’s performances has improved in recent weeks – while he hopes Carlisle’s Derby old boys on the pitch will attack the game in the right way.

Callum Guy and Luke Plange will take on their former club. Simpson said: “I think when you’ve been there recently it’s difficult to come up against your old club.

“Thankfully they both left a while ago. I’m sure they will be wanting to put on a performance.

“I thought Luke played with real fire in his belly against Lincoln last week, so [hopefully] he can have that fire in his belly again.

“What I don’t want is for them to try too hard and it affects their performance. I want them to be clear about what they can do and what they can bring to the team, and what they’re expecting of them – if they do that I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

Simpson’s opposite Paul Warne said he had a “soft spot” for Carlisle’s manager because Simmo once tried to sign him.

United’s boss said: “I think he was just bragging that he’s younger than me and I was a manager whilst he was still playing…

“He’s a player who I liked, definitely. I can’t honestly remember where I did try to sign him. But he was a good footballer, a real little tenacious player – probably similar to how he is as a manager, he’s got a real fire in his belly.

“He’s earned the right to be managing a club like Derby County through the record he had at Rotherham where he was outstanding.

“They’ve certainly got a good man in place there but I hope on the day it’s my lot who come out on top.”