Carlisle United head to St Andrews for training camp

Paul Simpson takes his squad to the University of St Andrews for what he has described as an important team-building week.

The majority of Simpson’s senior professionals will be heading north of the border with the exception of the injured Jack Robinson.

Some of the teenagers who have caught the eye in pre-season so far are also part of the group who will remain in St Andrew’s until Friday’s friendly against St Mirren.

Simpson says it will be a key week on and off the training pitch.

“The accent's on living together for a week,” said the Carlisle manager.

“We're doing a lot of work on the grass, and also lot of work every day on the team-building exercises, and learning about each other's personality – what makes each other tick – and basically getting used to each other, because we're going to be together for a long time over this season.

“So there's a lot of work going to be happening on the grass and off the grass, building into what will be a really tough game at St Mirren.”

• LISTEN: Simmo on Reds friendly, transfers, fitness issues and Scottish trip

Simpson says some of United’s teenage prospects will be making the trip, while striker Georgie Kelly – yet to figure in pre-season action – will also be on the coach north.

“The group that was at Workington on Saturday, they will be going,” he said.

“[That includes] Freddie O’Donoghue, Jake Allan, Sam Hetherington, Aran Fitzpatrick – they're all travelling.

Youth team player Freddie O'Donoghue will join United's senior players in Scotland (Image: Ben Holmes)

“We're also taking Georgie Kelly with us. Callum Guy [who is on the way back from an ACL injury] is coming with us.

“Jack Robinson's actually gone for a week rehab [on his ankle] at St George's Park this week, because that's the only week we could get him in.

“But there's a full group, barring Robbo, who will be travelling with us, because I think it's important that we're all together and get used to each other.”

United’s joint assistant manager Billy Barr says the trip - Carlisle's second pre-season camp at St Andrews in successive summers - will see double sessions for the players as the intensity of pre-season training increases.

FLASH SALE: Subscribe to our full Carlisle United coverage for £4

“There will be sessions in the evenings and stuff like that where the players will have to integrate, and there'll be team bondings – all the things that happen on a pre-season trip,” he added.

“It's just nice at times to get away, do your session, go and have a rest in a bed, come back out, do a session and then we do something with them on an evening.

“When you come back from that you really find details are drilled on the training pitch for the last remaining weeks of the pre-season.”