Injury-hit Carlisle United set to recall youth loan players

The Blues now risk losing Dan Butterworth and Sean Maguire for the rest of the season after the pair picked up injuries on Saturday.

That, Simpson said, could lead him to bring back the teenagers who are currently on work experience loans with Workington Reds.

Second-year youth team players Sam Hetherington, Jake Allan and Aran Fitzpatrick have all been with Danny Grainger’s side in Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Simpson could now turn to some of the youngsters at a time the Blues have other players out for injury and disciplinary reasons.

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“Dan we think pulled his calf [in the first half at Northampton] – we will get him scanned and see how that is. That could be him done for the season.

Dan Butterworth will have a scan on the calf injury that forced him off at Northampton (Image: Richard Parkes)

“Sean Maguire had an issue with his achilles at the end of the game - I don’t know how bad that is. That could be him done for season.

“We have to have a look at it, count the heads and try and get 18 to go to Cheltenham on Tuesday.

“We’re probably going to have to recall some of the young lads who are away on loan at Workington, but we will assess that before we travel to Cheltenham.”

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All three youth players were involved for Workington in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Worksop Town, while Hetherington and Allan trained with United’s first-team squad ahead of the Northampton game.

They stepped up at a time certain players were omitted as the club continues investigating reports that some were involved in a night out less than 48 hours before Easter Monday’s defeat to Lincoln City.

Jordan Gibson and Alfie McCalmont were not in the squad for the Northampton defeat.

“We only had 20 senior players available, and that’s including Anton Dudik, who travelled with us to Northampton," said Simpson.

“We will count heads. It’s amazing though, isn’t it – we had 100 per cent availability for Wembley last season, I dread to think what the percentage availability [was on Saturday].”

One player who could, though, return to the squad for tomorrow's penultimate away game is striker Joshua Kayode, who is back with the squad after long-term shoulder and calf injuries which have kept him out since last September. 

“Possibly JJ could be on the bench, which would be a bonus,” said Simpson.