Carlisle United boss on his conversations with the Piataks

The Blues manager has had several discussions with the Piataks, who are aiming to take over the club.

Simpson said the American business people have been seeking his thoughts on priority areas for the club to develop.

Tom Piatak told fans last weekend that he had enjoyed some positive discussions with Simpson.

And United’s boss also says his conversations with the family so far have been very constructive.

“He [Tom snr] is asking me where I think we need to improve as a football club,” said Simpson.

“The whole family, not just Tom snr, have their ideas. They’ve walked around here [Brunton Park] I don’t know how many times. They’ve got ideas about how they want to change it.

“The pleasing thing is they want to change it out on the grass, they want to try and improve us in terms of making our squad better – they’ve asked what I think, and we’ve had conversations around that moving forward – but they also want to make the fans’ experience better if they’re able to get [the takeover] over the line.

The Piatak family are hoping to push through a takeover deal after CUOSC members overwhelmingly voted in favour of their plan (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“I think everybody could benefit. We’ve had conversations about what I feel my priority is, and my priority is to try and get a training ground.

“That’s no different to the message I’ve been giving since I came back in. We’re now in a position where if this does happen, we want people to come and help us.

“We need the council to come and help us if there’s a plot of land we can go and acquire and develop. I’m led to believe there are some real land-rich owners in this area. If there’s anybody out there who has a plot of land who can come and help us, please come forward.

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“If there’s any grants we can tap into…if we can get a really strong training ground as a base for ourselves, if we can make the squad stronger, the fan experience stronger, I think this whole football club can move forward.”

The Piataks used last Sunday’s CUOSC members’ meeting to stress that they wanted to invest in United’s infrastructure, with training facilities a top priority.

The Florida family’s proposals for United received a ringing endorsement from trust members who voted 98 per cent in favour of the deal this week.

Speaking further about how he has found the Piataks as people, Simpson added: “Fantastic. Really positive, really enthusiastic.

“They’re really trying. They’re having to consciously not use the term ‘soccer’; they’re trying to embrace the English mentality of football.

“I’ve had some really good conversations. I find them good company. That said I do find our current board good company as well!

Paul Simpson says he has discussed the need for a new training ground with the Piataks (Image: Ben Holmes)

“I know there are still quite a few hurdles that need to be jumped over. I know it’s not there yet. But all the signs are really positive.

“The 98 per cent vote from the fans’ trust – that’s emphatic. They were obviously impressed.

“That’s what I am at the moment, I’m impressed with what they’ve had to say. I just hope we can finalise it, which means the EFL are happy with what they’re seeing, our current directors are confident these are the right people to take it forward, and that then backs up what the fans have seen.”

Tom Piatak last weekend said the Piataks planned to hand Simpson a “step change” budget for the January transfer window.

United’s boss, though, said it was too early to be planning for the window with that in mind.

The Florida logistics businessman, meanwhile, spoke extremely favourably of Simpson to CUOSC members, describing the Blues boss as the best manager in the EFL.

Responding to these words of support from a would-be new owner, Carlisle’s manager added: “I think at the moment there’s a positive feel about the place. I came back here to try and help the football club. So far it’s gone well.

“I’m not deluded to think it’ll carry on that way – if we don’t win games, situations change. That’s the nature of being a football manager.

“We’ve talked about, long-term, how this club could look, the changes we need to happen, if they get it over the line.

“At this moment they want me to be part of that. We’ve had some really good conversations. I just hope that further down the line we’re still talking as positively.”