Paul Simpson has paid tribute to an America-based benefactor who has been helping Carlisle United.

The Blues boss says Bernard Bewley, a fanatical United fan who lives in the USA, has made a number of financial contributions to help the team.

Simpson mentioned Mr Bewley after Saturday’s 3-1 victory at Bolton Wanderers.

United’s manager said the supporter has been chipping in to help with pieces of equipment to help the team’s preparation.

“We have this guy over in America who every now and again gives us a bit of money to help on the football side of things, to add a little bit of equipment that will help us,” said Simpson.

“He’s a Carlisle fan, a real fanatical supporter and just wanted to help us in terms of financials, making a little donation, saying, ‘I don’t want it to be swallowed into the club, it’s to go for helping on your football side’.

“Every now and again I have text messages with him. I texted him on Friday because I hadn’t been in touch for a while.

“He was really complimentary. I’m obviously not very happy with where we are [in the table] and what I’ve been able to produce for everybody but he said ‘Look, you have to take a deep breath sometimes and think about how this football club has changed’.

News and Star: Simmo said the size of United's support at Bolton underlined their progressSimmo said the size of United's support at Bolton underlined their progress (Image: Richard Parkes)

“And I did and thought, ‘You know what, you’re right Bernard’.

“Thankfully I can look back [on Saturday’s game] and [on] that sort of support from people like that. It’s really important we’ve got people that far afield and they’re wanting to back us.”

Simpson said his conversation with Mr Bewley, coupled with Saturday’s incredible 4,407 travelling support at Bolton, helped to underline United’s progress and potential.

“It does make you realise that we have come a long way,” said the Blues boss.

“We can still go further, we’ve got to make sure we keep driving each other on, because we’ve got support from America, people in Australia who are sending messages and wanting to help, and there’s nearly 4,500 who make the journey to Bolton to make a hell of a noise.”

News of United's American help comes at a time they are also in advanced talks over a USA-based takeover with the Piatak family from Florida.