Jamie Proctor: 'I wasn't enjoying my football...I'm glad I came to Carlisle'

That notoriously chaotic occasion was especially frantic at Brunton Park, where Charlie Wyke was being sold to Bradford and the Blues were setting their sights on Bolton's Proctor as a loan replacement.

Keith Curle has described the attempt to land Proctor as a race involving many runners, some from a higher level and others including this weekend's visitors, Portsmouth. Carlisle duly won it and so far have been delighted with their acquisition, who has scored twice in three games and not experienced anything other than victory in a blue shirt.

In this short time the 24-year-old seems as settled as a loanee can be - but he won't forget the tension of the transfer window in a hurry. "It was crazy, really," Proctor says. "It was the first time I've been involved in something as intense as that.

"Everything comes together in the final few hours, as clubs get rid of players and sign other players - then it all sort of just fits into place.

"That's what happened. I trained on the day up at Bolton and then got a few phonecalls, and ultimately had a decision to make. I was down at Carlisle late at night, but I'm glad I made that decision."

So far, the feeling is mutual, with Proctor having inherited Wyke's number nine jersey and scored against Leyton Orient and Wycombe, whilst also leading a powerful line against Doncaster.

Only a contentious red card, on debut at Orient, blotted his perfect start, sidelining him for the 4-1 defeat to Blackpool. It is clear, though, that United have recruited a player of good pedigree for the rest of their bid to reach League One and Proctor says it is this campaign that lured him to Cumbria.

"The main factor is that they were challenging for something," he says. "I didn’t want to have just six months of going and playing in League One, and being in mid-table.

"I believe that whatever standard you're playing at, if you're in a winning team, a team that's competing for something, it benefits you in the long-term, instead of just going somewhere and seeing your season out.

"Once I spoke to the staff here I got a real buzz about the place, and that sort of swung it as well."

Proctor had a frustrating first half of 2016/17, increasingly spent on Bolton's bench despite only joining the Trotters last summer. The chance to relight his competitive fire with United clearly appealed to the former Preston, Swansea, Fleetwood, Crawley and Bradford player.

"Yes, ultimately I've dropped down a division, but we're still in a similar position to where Bolton were in the table," he says. "It gives me something to fight for and something to achieve, having wasted the first half of the season."

The last line is clearly that of a player who likes the smell of battle rather than simply serving time. "This spell now is important," he says. "Looking at it in the long run, it's a big six months for me. Although I was involved at Bolton for a couple of months at the start, the last couple of months I've been on the bench and not playing as much as I'd have liked.

"This is a time for me to get back playing, and get back to enjoying my football as well, because that's the main thing that I wasn't doing - I wasn’t enjoying football at all.

"I'm back playing now, I'm back enjoying it and I think come the summer I'll be in a good position to go forward."

So will United, hopefully. The Blues have 14 more games in which to convert their great chance of reaching the third tier under Curle. Six points from high-stakes fixtures against Doncaster and Wycombe have restored some belief among supporters, and the chance to put serious distance between themselves and another rival, Portsmouth, is approaching.

The win at struggling Orient on February 4 was also important, as it was Carlisle's first of 2017 after a midwinter dip. It saw Proctor head the decisive goal before a pair of quickfire bookings cut short his afternoon.

"It was eventful," he smiles. "I got the goal which I seem to have a habit of doing on my debut for clubs. It's the first time I've been sent off on my debut, though, and hopefully the last.

"That's done now. It's something I'll learn from. I still don't think it should have been a red card but there's nothing I can do about it. It was a day I won't forget. But it was good to get off to a good start overall."

The thrashing by Blackpool sent the public mood crashing again, but then came the stirring win over Doncaster, followed by Saturday's gritty victory at Wycombe, where Proctor scored Carlisle's equaliser before setting up Reggie Lambe's winner.

It was also United's first win at Adams Park for 20 years. "It was massive, really," Proctor says. "You can talk about good performances, good individual performances, great goals, and all that. But what we saw was a massive determination and desire from the whole team.

"The defence was outstanding. You won't get a tougher test than that physically. For us to come through that the way we did is testament to the lads."

"I think the advantage we have at the minute," he adds, "if you look around the dressing room, is that there's lads who are going to stand up and have a fight, have a scrap, and come through it. You also know if you put us on a nice pitch, and want to play some football, we'll do that as well."

Proctor has not been here long but believes this combative attitude is crucial. "From the second minute we were under the cosh, they were putting balls in, scored an early goal, and it's easy for you to just cave. Some teams probably would have done that against a big, physical side like Wycombe.

"For us to turn it around as quickly as we did, and get to half-time leading, and show the determination in the second half that we did, it's testament to what we've got in there."

And what have United got in there, exactly? "It's a good squad, definitely," Proctor says. "It's a small squad, but as long as we don't get too many injuries and keep up the performance levels that we have, there's no reason why we won't stay up there all season.

"The lads have been in the top three for a long time. You don't get there without a good squad."

It is a squad that contains familiar faces to Proctor, with Nicky Adams and Mike Jones having been team-mates at Crawley. Their presence has eased the adjusting process for the new man.

"It certainly helps," he says. "It means you don't really have to find your feet, as you know two or three of the lads already and it sort of makes you feel at ease, so you can concentrate on the football. It's not something you think about too much when you're choosing a club, but it does help you settle on the pitch."

Although still a young player, Proctor's appearance tally is enviable - 242 for all his clubs, and 39 goals. He has also accumulated certain things which statistics do not show.

"I just think the experience of playing a lot of games helps, no matter what league it's in," he says. "I've definitely learned over the years how to control myself, control the way I play. I play to my strengths, and not try to do things I'm maybe not so good at.

"I think that's key as you get older - you learn about yourself, and what you are going to do to help the team. I certainly think I've done that since I've been here. I've given the team what we've wanted and what we've needed. It's been a good start."

Last Saturday was an excellent day for United. They ended the day five points clear of the play-off pack and also just three shy of second-placed Plymouth, who travel to Luton in three days' time.

Proctor stresses that United will not obsess about these possibilities whilst preparing for Pompey. "We go into it just looking to focus on our jobs. There's nothing we can do about the other games," he says.

"We know there's always going to be a chance of us looking at the table in a positive light if we take care of ourselves. But it's tight, still. It's going to be tight all the way to the end.

"We just feel that if we put in performances like Saturday every week, we won't go far wrong."