Carlisle Utd chief exec: "We've got to get the message across about the good things we're doing"

Each supporter will have their own view. On the banners seen at Mansfield two weeks ago, it was co-owner John Nixon who appeared to be drawing much of the flak.

Nigel Clibbens, the club's chief executive, is asked why. "It's an interesting one," he says. "I can only go on what the fans have told me when I've spoken to them. I think they feel John, somehow is responsible for the position of the club as the managing director in that period, even though the club's decisions and actions are from a collective board of directors."

Clibbens, further defending one of his paymasters, admits that some fans still find it hard to believe that Nixon, now "director of external affairs", is no longer involved in United's day-to-day running. "It's hard to change that perception, even though you talk about it all the time."

Perhaps the perception persists because Nixon is often cited by Keith Curle as someone who is consulted over transfers. Does that not, in fact, suggest hands-on activity by the co-owner?

"We've talked about that. It's a close-knit club where people talk about things," Clibbens says. "But it doesn't mean John's pulling the strings."

Nixon's various roles with the EFL and Football Association also appear to have generated some resentment, and an accusation that he is using the club to further a career in those high circles.

"I don't think that's fair at all," Clibbens says. "He's elected by other clubs in the division. It [League Two representative on the EFL board] is not a grace-and-favour post. They [other clubs] clearly think that the job he does, in representing them, is a good appointment."

Yet nobody is crowbarred into such a role. Is status an attraction? "If you've been to any of the EFL meetings, you will quickly appreciate it's not about the status. It's a way of giving something back to the clubs. He's got experience in running a club, he knows what football's about, and therefore has a good perspective to bring. As a club we get access to senior officials in the EFL, which can do us no harm."

That position, along with roles with the EFL Trust, FA Cup committee and FA Council, has also seen Nixon attend certain high-profile games and functions at, for instance, Wembley and Old Trafford. "I don't think it's the intention that anybody would put their name forward for election in order to think they are going to get tickets to Wembley," Clibbens says.

"That [criticism] is one of the more baffling ones. Would it change the club's chances of success if John wasn't on the [EFL] board? I don't think it would.

"I think to accuse somebody who's worked for nothing for many years, for the benefit of the club, of taking that appointment so he can somehow ingratiate himself, is unfair."

Another owner at United, Steven Pattison, has a mixed public profile as a result of some high-profile gaffes. These include Twitter controversies, an alleged comment to an unhappy supporter that he need not come back if he didn't like what he had just seen on the pitch, a threat to disclose information about former investor Andrew Lapping which the club had to curtail, and a hostile exchange at last August's fans' forum where he rounded on a critic for "picking on the wrong man".

Are these not embarrassing outbursts from a public face of the club? "I can only speak from my time here, and he [Pattison] has been supportive of me, he's provided a lot of personal support to Andrew [Jenkins] in tough times, his business supports the club, and he's there home and away cheering the team on," Clibbens says.

"In terms of the points you make, we had a fiery, entertaining end to the fans' forum. A supporter made some pointed remarks and Steven responded to him in kind.

"It's always a balance between being dull and boring, and having a bit of passion. Would I have done it that way? No. [But] all the other times since then he's been very supportive and there's been nothing to be concerned about from my perspective."

At that forum, Pattison also named the person whose text messages briefly materialised on his Twitter account - appearing to criticise Andrew Lapping and associated media coverage - as Keith Agar. Asked about one rumour concerning the former Gretna and Stockport managing director, Clibbens says he has seen no evidence that Agar has been involved in any aspect of the recent overseas investment saga.

Yet these, the chief executive says, are historic episodes from which the club would much prefer to move on. The here and now, though, is also complicated, with United in a wretched run of form that has put their promotion hopes in serious peril.

Asked for his take, Clibbens cites the injuries Curle's squad has suffered, contributing to poor results and falling confidence; a "cycle" the team are desperately trying to break out of.

Squad building and transfer work have also been criticised by fans. Should Curle, for instance, have focused more on improving United's leaky defence? Clibbens refuses to go there, saying it is not a director's place to interfere. "We challenge the manager on his decision-making, which he embraces. But if I tried to influence selection and recruitment, all hell would break loose. It's our job to give him the tools, resources and budget."

Clibbens says the club have certainly done this. Jenkins loaned further cash to pay for Gary Liddle's January signing while the chief executive says income from Charlie Wyke's sale went back into Curle's kitty. Jamie Proctor, he adds, was the "number one target" once United's efforts to retain Wyke proved in vain. Further short-term signings have also been funded.

On whether United could have given their promotion challenge more of a push in the last window, Clibbens says: "We went into that window having spent 99.4 per cent of our wage cap. We couldn't do any dealings without new money, or players leaving. Andrew put new money in to bring Liddle in. Keith then exited the likes of [Mark] Ellis, [Patrick] Brough for a bit longer, we paid off [Joe] McKee and [Russell] Penn, and Dave Atkinson left.

"That created a bit of headroom which allowed us to get in [John] O'Sullivan. When he came in, we were then back at 100 per cent. We couldn't do any more.

"With Wyke, Bradford submitted an offer on Monday, January 23, and we couldn't have done any more in trying to keep him. In that time we already had contingency plans."

Regarding Curle, it also attracted concern when the manager recently claimed some people inside the club would be happy if he failed. How have Clibbens and his colleagues investigated this? "We discussed it with Keith and put it to bed. It created a stir outside the club, but internally we brushed it away."

Did Curle make it explicit who he was referring to? "No. At the time we raised it, we talked it through with him and reassured him that everyone is 100 per cent behind him. That's always been the case. From a director's point of view, since then, we've continued to provide more players."

Other business at the club right now includes a survey on the Checkatrade Trophy, which closed last week and attracted more than 700 responses, Clibbens says. One question that some fans felt was loaded - asking for ideas to replace the Premier League's cash pot if the controversial "B Team" experiment was withdrawn - has drawn some positive suggestions, the chief executive says.

On Project Blue Yonder, the six-year scheme to find a new stadium, Clibbens says United are not currently working on anything specific, after the idea for a ground on the city's Viaduct Estate perished last November. On CUOSC's long-awaited seat on United's holding company, finally approved through invitation, he says the shareholders' agreement that will consolidate this new status ought to be finalised by the end of June. Certain "bridges" have been "rebuilt", leading to a much more productive relationship with the fans' group for several months, Clibbens adds.

We close with an opportunity for Clibbens to bring into the light some of the "positive" stories which he feels the "billionaire" saga and other controversies have engulfed. Why, in his view, should people feel positive about Carlisle United today?

The list he produces is long, and includes this season's fine run in the FA Youth Cup and the overall improvement by the first-team. Community work spearheaded by John Halpin is described as "second to none". Commercial work is improving, United's business club is growing, and the club's popular community ticket scheme "makes us proud". Links with fans through the Carlisle United Supporter Groups forum, plus CUOSC's increased status, are also cited.

Overall, he says, "the shareholders are working together in a positive way, which puts us in a good position to take the club forward in unified manner."

This, Clibbens believes, includes the partial removal of the billionaire "shadow" and the new Edinburgh Woollen Mill connection. "Internally, there's a lot of things to shout about. We've got to get the message across about the good things we're doing."