Paul Simpson salutes bumper Carlisle United crowd as he urges supporters to 'keep backing us'
Paul Simpson has urged Carlisle United supporters to keep providing vocal support from the stands following his sides 5-1 thumping of Barrow on Tuesday night.
The Blues lifted themselves into the automatic promotion places after the convincing win over their Cumbrian rivals.
Almost one year on from when Simpson took over with the side languishing near the foot of the Football League in 23rd position in League Two fortunes could not have changed much more for the Blues.
Simpson has ambitions to keep the good times rolling at Brunton Park although is wary of other sides in the league hoping to burst the Carlisle bubble.
He said: "We are confident but we also are respectful of every other side in the league because they all will want to come and slam the breaks onto the wheels.
"It is going well, we are really happy with what is going on.
"I am really happy with the group and the level of performance we have got.
"There is a great desire for them to keep it going and we have got to make sure we keep our focus and keep doing things properly."
Consistency has been key for League Two's top scorers this campaign. Fine home form has seen Carlisle rise up the table coupled with some crucial wins on the road.
Simpson believes that in order to win a league title his side have to maintain the levels of performance they have produced in the campaign so far.
He said: "In a cup competition you can have little bits of luck and one off performances which let you achieve something.
"In the league, where you have got 46 fixtures, to achieve any level of success you have got to be consistent and you have to keep going.
"You can’t just do it for 10 games.
"Last season we had a consistent run for the last 15 games which kept us in the league but we have to do it for 46 if we are going to achieve anything.
"We are going into game 29 and we are really happy with what has happened in the previous 28.
"We have to make sure we keep going and I don’t get the sense from the players that there are any thoughts to take their foot off the gas.
"They want to keep going and they keep pushing each other and as long as that happens then we give ourselves a really good chance."
The match against Barrow on Tuesday saw a bumper crowd of over 9,000 inside Brunton Park and Simpson has indicated the impact the support is having on the players.
He said: "It is huge, absolutely huge.
"The players have spoken this season about the away support we had at Hartlepool and Salford, just as two examples and when you get that type of vocal support and backing at home it makes such a difference to the players.
"It is a great place to be in Brunton Park with over 9,000 supporters inside, with probably about 8,500 home supporters.
"That lifts everybody, it lifts the players, it lifts the staff, it lifts the football club from a financial point of view as well.
"If we are to keep improving and keep doing well we need them to keep coming in and keep backing us.
"I hope they all saw enough on Tuesday night to make them want to come back again and go and get another bumper crowd for this Saturday’s game."
Tuesday's match saw striking duo John-Kymani Gordon and Kristian Dennis starting from the bench with Joe Garner and Omari Patrick coming into the starting 11.
Simpson believes quality in depth throughout his squad is one of the key reasons attributed to his sides success so far this campaign.
Speaking on the quality of depth in his side, Simpson said: "It is brilliant that is what you have a squad for.
"We have to have a squad of players because they are not going to be able to churn out 100% performances game in game out, there are going to be chances for other players.
"My challenge to everybody is make sure that when your opportunity comes you are right.
"You look at Ben Barclay who hasn’t played in the first team since August, Joe Garner comes in to make his full debut, Omari Patrick comes back in for a start.
"When you have players like that who are pushing and wanting to play and it’s seamless and you don’t miss the ones you had in previously, like Kristian Dennis and John-Kymani Gordon, that is what we want as staff, we want that to happen.
"Whoever gets the opportunity on Saturday has to go and grab it again."
Carlisle host Harrogate Town on Saturday with the visiting North Yorkshire side languishing down in 21st in League Two.
Simpson is under no illusions though that his side are a shoe in for three points this weekend and he believes Harrogate could trouble his side if they are not careful.
He said: "I am expecting them to be fighting for their lives.
"They are in a tough position although they have been able to strengthen over the last couple of weeks.
"We know that this is going to be a tough game and I will say that I get across to the players every single game because I still haven’t come across a team who have just lay down and let us get three points.
"Harrogate will come fighting, they will scrap and they will work.
"We are going to have to do everything we can to earn the right to get a victory."
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