Carlisle United director: Paul Simpson can turn it around

The Blues are close to relegation from League One after a dire run of results.

While many fans retain faith in Simpson, who led United to promotion last season, some have called on United to make a managerial change.

But the Blues’ American owners are backing the Cumbrian to oversee a turnaround.

“When you look at Paul's record, particularly if we do go down to League Two, he has a very strong record there,” said Tom II, referring to Simpson's two promotions at that level with United in 2005/06 and 2022/23.

“We have connections with some teams such as Fulham, through Shahid Khan [who owns Jacksonville Jaguars], and in Bournemouth whose team we've worked with pretty extensively to understand the problems they ran into when they came in to English football.

“A lot of people almost all say Paul Simpson is a top man – he's one of the one of the great guys in the game.

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“We also understand when it comes to football, results are the most important thing. And we definitely want to want to see the results going in the right direction.

“We know they're not right now. But we do believe that he can turn it around.

Paul Simpson (Image: Richard Parkes)

“If things don't…things might have to be adjusted going forward. But right now, we do believe he's the right guy going into next season.

“He's been fantastic to work with. And he's been brutally honest as well, on his side, stating what he believes. We try to be very transparent. We appreciate his transparency as well.”

Carlisle have suffered a run of 12 defeats from 13 games following a January transfer window which was hoped would improve their chances of third-tier survival.

They lie 16 points from safety with eight games to go with the prospect of the drop being confirmed over Easter.

Asked how the Brunton Park regime analyse the current predicament, considering they retain such faith in Simpson, Tom II told the News & Star: “It’s a good question, and a tough question.

“[Losing] 12 out of 13 is pretty bad in any sport, it doesn't matter what game you're in – even if you're playing Sunday League you don't want to be losing 12 in 13. So it's not something anybody's hoping for.

“We've talked to the team internally, and we've told them that yes, we hope for the results, but also [about] what we want to see in terms of effort levels, what we want to see in how they go about themselves. And we've seen positives on that side.

“So there's nothing we can really hone in on and say, you know, ‘this is absolutely abysmal’.

“Unfortunately, when it comes on to Saturdays, and the occasional Tuesday nights, it just hasn't gone our way. That's not anything we hope for, and we wish it would be the other way. But we are where we are. And there's not much we can do about that.”

Tom II said United’s run of defeats has “not often” seen games where “it felt like we’ve been ran off the pitch.”

United's results have gone from bad to worse since January (Image: Richard Parkes)

“There are a few where unfortunately, it has happened,” he said. “And there's also been the odd one or two here that have been great feelings.

“We're a very competitive family back home. So it hurts, it pains us to lose. One thing with my father, Tom, he didn’t let me beat him in ping pong until I was 15, much less any other sport.

“So we're definitely competitive and we hate to lose. And it pains us every time we watch and it doesn't go our way.

“We feel it, we understand it, and it does hurt and we hope every Saturday for the results to go our way. So it's something that we feel with fans, we understand where they're coming from with their frustrations.

“Why exactly it hasn't gone as we've hoped since January? I couldn't put an exact reason on that by any means. But we see signs of very positive things. We see the guys still out there giving their all and that's all we can ask for.”

Tom II says there is a determination at United to ensure a positive summer of recruitment helps the team start 2024/25 on the front foot, with the likelihood of that being back in League Two.

“The easy answer [on how to fix things] is to get some wins – if we do go into next season in the division below, or somehow miraculously managed to pull off a crazy feat and stay up, [you aim] to start the season on a positive, on the front foot.

“That’s the goal for everybody – keep yourself in the top half of the table fighting for automatics and promotion, that is definitely where we hope to be.

“In terms of specifics on how you do that, there's some internal [discussions] with the coaching staff on what we expect from them, and who's performing where we think we're at the right level.”

Tom II’s father, Blues owner and chairman Tom snr, told the News & Star in early February that there was a “minimum target” of what should be expected over the remaining 16 games.

Asked about what action would be taken if that target is missed – United’s form having not improved since that point – Tom II said: “Results are one side of it.

Tom II, right, says accountability regarding specific targets for the remainder of the season are an internal matter (Image: Richard Parkes)

“But the other side is just the way they go about their work and the way they go about things, from the players all the way to the to the management staff – how they go about it, how they communicate to us.

“They understand it as well as we do and the fans that things are not going in the direction that anybody hoped right now.

“Everyone hopefully can see a lot of the positives that are going on around the club, but when it comes down to it, you want to see results on the pitch and that's the goal.

“The exact things that might take place? I’ve got to keep that one internally. But we do have some standards that we expect to be met, that we hold ourselves to, we hold the club to, hold everyone to, to make sure that we're doing the things that we think are needed to be moving in the right direction.”

Tom II said the use of leading data package StatsBomb will play an increasingly important part in United’s recruitment efforts for the summer window, when the Blues hope to be much more front-foot than they were able to be last year.

Asked why fans should have faith in this summer’s recruitment, given how results have unfolded since the January window, Tom II said: “The easy answer would be to say hopefully you'll see that starting next season – hopefully you'll see us starting off on a very positive note.

“I just want [fans] to know we're going to do everything we possibly can to make sure we're doing everything from the statistics side, the recruiting side, the vetting side, just to make sure that we have the full picture, the full scope of every individual that the club's looking at, internally, externally, to make sure we are doing everything we possibly can to be bringing in the right guys to build the right culture to put the club in the best position for moving forward.”

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Tom II also put on record his appreciation for the levels of support United have received this season despite their poor results – and his hope that fans will continue to back the club.

“It’s absolutely massive, the supporters are the lifeblood of the club,” he said.

“Anyone can go out with 11 players and play on a Saturday and perform. But if you don't have that support, if you don't have the group behind you, cheering you on, you don't feel the joy, the joy you feel when [for example] you have 800 away fans, in our current position, down at Charlton, and you equalise to make it 2-2 right in front of them. And they're just going absolutely bonkers. And they sound louder than the rest of the stadium.

“Those are absolutely fantastic moments. And we can't thank the supporters enough for their [support] this season.

“We hope to continue to progress things obviously on the pitch, but off the pitch too in terms of the match day experience to be the best that can be, because it's just it's also a great day out with your family or your friends.

“At the same time, you want to have the right result at the end of the day to be feeling the best. But to have a good day out is a great positive.

“Again, the support that's been this season has been unbelievable. And long may it continue, we hope.”