Carlisle United boss on next signing and Charlton draw

The Blues boss says an experienced free agent is training with the club.

United’s manager hopes a deal can be struck early this week – possibly as soon as tomorrow – to add senior competition for Tomas Holy.

Carlisle need a new gloveman after loanee Jokull Andresson was ruled out with injury until February.

And Simpson, speaking after the 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic, said: “We need somebody experienced.

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“I’ve enquired about quite a few so far and hit a bit of a brick wall, [but] we’ve had a guy in training with us who we think could be the answer to fill that hole for us.

“Hopefully something will happen very soon.”

Simpson added that he had been hoping to make a signing before Saturday but a “paperwork issue” had held it up.

He added: “Over the next two weeks we’ve got another player coming in to train with us who’s got real quality, so we’re going to have a look at him as well.”

Simpson said United’s new owners, the Piataks, were keen to back him to strengthen the squad both now and in time for the start of the January transfer window.

But he played down the prospect of adding firepower to his squad before January.

“There are players [in that position] who we’ve talked about, but they’re not players who I think can come in and help us, that’s my honest opinion about it,” he said.

“We have to get the right characters in, players who can come and make a real impact. I think Josh Emmanuel has done that, I’m hoping the one who’s going to train over the next ten days with us will have an impact, and we’ll just see where we go.”

Emmanuel impressed on his debut in Saturday’s draw as Sam Lavelle scored against his former club to earn United a point.

It came in the first game of the Piatak era after the new owners received a rapturous welcome from Blues fans at Brunton Park.

“I thought the players were outstanding in the way they went up against a really good team,” said Simpson, after Lavelle had cancelled out Corey Blackett-Taylor’s Charlton opener.

Sam Lavelle celebrates the equaliser against Charlton (Image: Ben Holmes)

“One thing I said to the players was that there’s no point me telling them you have to forget about the occasion, because you can’t, we’re all humans and you do get involved in the occasion.

“But I thought the players went about their business really well. We played when we could, we dug in when we had to, and that was for long periods of the game.

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“I was disappointed with the way we started the second half because we were a little bit tippy-tappy, and at no point did we turn them round and get them running back to their own goal.

“Then we do and we score, but we’re having to score to get ourselves back into the game instead of starting by turning themselves around and getting up the pitch.

“I was pleased with the reaction after the goal – I just think we need to cut out the little mistakes we keep making.”

Defender Lavelle’s goal was his first for the club and United’s first under the new ownership regime.

Simpson said he was delighted for the captain. “He has been consistent, he’s shown really good leadership qualities. I’ve been delighted since he’s taken the armband.

“He’s made decisions on behalf of the players, he organises things on behalf of the players.

“He’s shown real good quality and I’m really pleased for him. He’s had a little bit of grief off us because he hasn’t been getting goals when he’s had good opportunities.

“I thought he showed real composure to finish like he did and he’s earned us a really big point.”