Ex-Carlisle United keeper has a big future, says City boss

Simons impressed against his former club in this week’s Fred Conway Cumberland Cup tie.

The young keeper joined City after being released by the Blues at the end of last season.

City boss Nichols says Simons’ quality is already clear and that he is making the most of his fresh start with the Northern League Division One club.

“We’re quite surprised that Carlisle got rid of him,” said Nichols.

“We see a lot of goalkeepers who’ve left clubs and played at different teams all over the north east, and Scotty’s as good as anybody that we’ve seen.

“That was an unbelievable performance from him [on Tuesday], including an unbelievable save late on, and he’s a really nice kid as well.

“He’s got a big future in the game – hopefully from our point of view it’s here – but he’s doing that every week and that’s credit to Scott.”

Simons was rated highly as he came through United’s academy ranks but the young pro suffered an injury-hit 2022/23 season.

That cost him the chance to make real progress under Paul Simpson and the 19-year-old was let go by the Cumbrians in the summer.

Carlisle City, says Nichols, is a good environment for a player such as Simons to rebuild, the club having brought in a number of released United players in recent times.

Jim Nichols, the Carlisle City manager (Image: Ben Holmes)

“He looks after himself and wants to do well,” added the City boss.

“He’s travelling from Millom by himself to come and play here, and has been an absolute blessing for us. 

“He's dropped out of the professional game but he wants to play football, it’s as simple as that.

“If you look at our squad of 16 on Tuesday, nine or ten have been through the Carlisle [United] system and find themselves in the same position.

“We want to give them a platform to come and play here. From our point of view, there is a platform here and they want to be here, they want to do well for this football club and for themselves.

“Ultimately you go into football because you enjoy it.

“I suppose for a lot of them, when they get to 18 or 19, it’s absolutely heartbreaking to lose your dream. It’s how you recover and react from that.

• Carlisle United No2's reaction to Cumberland Cup tie

“We’ve got a really good environment here for those lads. They want to come here and play.

“We’ve got a really good group here and a really good environment for players like Scott.”

City came close to a cup upset on Tuesday, taking a strong United side to a 1-1 draw before the League One side won 4-2 on penalties.

It was the latest strong showing from a City side who have started the campaign positively, sitting seventh in the league and through to the first round proper of the FA Vase.

They will aim to build on their midweek efforts when they return to league action at 14th-placed Crook Town tomorrow.

“We’re under no illusions, it’ll be a tough game. There isn’t a single game in our league that isn’t,” Nichols said.

“But if we play like that and like we have done this season, we won’t be far off.

“You’re going to get inconsistencies – we’re a semi-pro club, you don’t get everyone training every week, you don’t see people sometimes from Saturday to Saturday.

“But what we do have is some really decent players and honest lads. We know if we play like we did there and like we did last Saturday we’ve got a good chance of going and winning the game.”