Simpson believes transfer window has been most 'frustrating' of his career

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson believes this current transfer window has been the most "frustrating" of his career after failing to bring in another striker so far.

United have already added forward players Sean Maguire, Dan Butterworth, Luke Plange and Terry Ablade to their squad.

Speaking to ITV about the prospect at being to further add to his squad, Simpson said: "Well, I'm still hopeful, but as I stand here now, all I can say is that it's been the most frustrating transfer window I think I've ever been involved in in all my time in management and coaching.

"I've been totting up and I think there's 11 strikers that we've we've discussed in terms of loans.

"There's four strikers who we've made offers to buy and three of them if, if they achieve the targets that we wanted, would have broken a club record. And so we are desperately trying to bring new faces in to try and strengthen the group.

"It just hasn't happened so far. So I can't stand and say, yes, there's going to be somebody I am hopeful and we're just going to have to wait and see."

Simpson believes that even if he is unable to add another striker to his squad the aims for the season will not change.

He said: "The aim this season is to make sure we stay in the league. You know, we've come into a new level it's been a challenge and everybody can see that we're trying to compete.

"But the truth of it is we're not quite there at the moment. We're not as competitive as we want to be. But this is the time where everybody has to stick together.

"It's easy to stick together when you're winning games and everything's all nice and you got trips to Wembley.

"Now is the time when when it's when the struggle is going on that we've all got to dig deep. We've all got to keep working hard and hope that we can get ourselves through it."

Simpson was full of praise for the Carlisle United supporters. He believes that they have already stuck by his side during the early part of the season.

He said: "I think the supporters have been outstanding. They've been absolutely fantastic.

"What I am saying is that it's a challenge for us, you know, and when supporters turn up, they turn up because they want to see a winning team. We're not always going to win. We didn't always win last year and they stuck with us.

"Now we have to stick it, stick together again. It's it's a good standard we're playing up. I think it's been a surprise to to maybe a lot of people on the outside of the of the the staff and the players.

"What a big challenge it's going to be, but it's a challenge that we're all looking to try and step up to.

"We all want to do everything we possibly can to try and be successful and we'll keep doing it. It's as simple as that will keep working away. And I hope the supporters stay with us as well."

Simpson believes that his side do not need to change anything about their training methods in order to achieve the first win of the season.

He said: "Well, we haven't done anything different. The one thing I did at the start of the week, we had a conversation with the whole group, all the staff and players where I wanted their opinions.

"You know, my meetings normally last ten or 15 minutes because I think attention span tends to go after that, that length of time. But this one went on for about an hour and a half where I wanted them to speak.

"I wanted them to give me their opinion, and everybody's together in the view that, yes, we've made mistakes. Yes, it's a challenge in league, but we're not far away and that's what we've got to keep remembering.

"We've got to keep doing the right things, keep working as hard as we possibly can, keep trying to improve. So then we went out on the grass and the week has been about trying to be clinical in the final third, then better with our finishing, better with our decision making in the final third.

"And that's something we'll continue to do right through the season."

Next up for Carlisle United is the visit of Shrewsbury Town. Simpson believe it will be a tough match for his side.

He said: "Well, we know it's going to be a tough game because they're an established league one side, and they have had a good start to the season. It's a game that we're really looking forward to.

"We're at home and we're hoping that we've got our supporters to come back again like they have done all season.

"We know they've got threats with the forward players. They've got a very simple style of play that's been effective so far. And we've got to put our game on them.

"We've got to make sure that we keep the ball in the right areas. We show the quality that we know that we've got in the group, but we need it to come out on Saturday afternoon."

Speaking about the prospect of American investment coming into Brunton Park Simpson said: "Well, I've not heard anything this week, to be perfectly honest with you. But I don't think these things are easy.

"There's probably going to be a few hurdles that get in the way and I think the biggest hurdle you look at is probably the pure pay debt that's that's hanging over the club, which is a real shame because I think the gesture that was made by Philip Day in Edinburgh Woolen Mill, however many years ago to to invest some money into the club at a time when they needed it was a wonderful gesture from a successful local businessman.

"Unfortunately through nothing fault of Edinburgh Woolen Mill or Carlisle United when Covid hit and the company had problems. The debt was taken over by somebody else. And it's now become a little bit of a noose around our neck that needs to be solved.

"That could be a major stumbling block. And I just hope the can find a resolution to it because that, as far as I know, is one of the things that could be the major problem.

"You look at the football club with our fan base with our momentum that we've got with all the local businesses jumping on board, it's a really good place to be and a hope that we can find a resolution to help us take us forward."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...