Carlisle United boss calls for calm heads in Richie Wellens return

Last season’s home fixture with the Os ended stormily with Wellens claiming coins had been thrown at him from the Paddock.

The visiting manager also said he had received “vile” verbal abuse about his family.

Some United fans were also critical of some of Wellens’ touchline antics with supporters' trust CUOSC director Nigel Davidson describing his behaviour as “unacceptable”.

The fall-out from the 3-2 defeat led Carlisle to cordon off an area of the terrace behind the dugouts.

As the London club prepare for Saturday's trip back to Cumbria in League One, Blues manager Simpson has appealed for calm heads.

“I think we have to make sure that as our football club we put on the best version of ourselves this weekend,” Simpson said.

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“I didn’t see anything get thrown last year but I’m led to believe there was. We can’t be doing those sorts of things.

“I think if there’s banter, we have to make sure it doesn’t go too far and whatever provocation comes from either side, we have to keep a calm head.

The Paddock at Brunton Park saw an area cordoned off after last season's Orient game (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“Because as a football club we cannot afford to get into trouble for anything like that.

“I really am hoping our fans come and have banter, because that’s part of it, but let’s not go too far, let’s make sure we’re really sensible about it.”

United have been under the microscope for a number of incidents in recent times and are currently awaiting the outcome of a Football Association charge connected to the pitch invasion following May’s play-off semi-final second leg against Bradford City.

Simpson says that, whatever interactions take place this weekend, they must not cross the line.

“There’s responsibility from everyone,” he said. “We’ve got to handle it in the right way.

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“I had a game last season where I got absolutely disgraceful abuse [from away fans at Bradford City in March] – things that were being said to me that I made a complaint [about] and I was told that, ‘It’s ok because that’s not one of the banned words [was] used’, which I find incredible, but anyway...

“You get an apology from the club but nothing can be done about it.

“We have to make sure we all behave respectfully. Yes, get involved and have the emotion in the game…I talked the other week about a fourth official trying to take the emotion out of the game. I think if we don’t have emotion in football we may as well get out of it. You’ve got to have a feeling for it and a bit of a passion.

“But let’s make sure we control it all and there’s nothing silly going on.

“We don’t want the club to get in trouble and I certainly don’t want things being thrown at Richie Wellens who, as much as I’ll probably have a row with him on Saturday, I like Richie.

“I played with him at Blackpool and he’s a decent fella who...he can get people’s backs up but not because he’s a bad person, just because that’s what he is.”