Carlisle United have insisted they are "happy" with their ongoing financial relationship with Edinburgh Woollen Mill despite billionaire Philip Day's firm still having not sought any deeper involvement at Brunton Park.

Chief executive Nigel Clibbens says it is "far too early" to draw any conclusions on where the link may eventually lead.

It has been six months since EWM made a "loan facility" available to the Blues in what the club described as a way of easing its reliance on chairman Andrew Jenkins.

In an interview with the News & Star , Clibbens said United were still some way off hitting the limit of what EWM had offered to the club.

He also said United would not be actively seeking outside investment because they wanted to give the EWM relationship every chance to flourish.

It has long been speculated that the relationship could eventually lead to ownership change but no discussions have yet taken place on that front.

Clibbens said: "The relationship is continuing and we're happy with it - and they appear the same.

"There is a difference between proactively looking for investment and the situation we're in.

"We've got a commercial partner that, if they choose to take that relationship further, would satisfy the criteria we would have.

"As we sit here now, the view the board has taken is that we need to give that every opportunity to see if it would come to fruition.

"Us proactively looking for other alternatives, whilst being supported by EWM in this relationship - we don't think that would be the right thing to do."

Clibbens would not confirm details of how much United have drawn from the loan facility or what its limit is.

He said Carlisle have used the firm's funds "in the normal trading cycle of the business" and, while the club have not used any EWM cash "in the last couple of months or so", they would look again at their requirements in the autumn.

Asked what would happen if and when United hit the limit, Clibbens said: "We'd discuss where the long-term level goes. But we're not envisaging hitting the mark any time soon."

And asked how long Carlisle should give the relationship to see if it could develop into potential ownership change, the chief executive said: "This arrangement has been going six months, which I think is far too early to say where it's going.

"It would be premature to draw any conclusions. We have to do all we can to support the relationship and build on it.

"I'm sure EWM are looking to see how the club is doing, and will be forming its view on what's happening at the club. At the time when further discussions are needed, that's when we'll have them."

*See the News & Star's website on Sunday for the full interview with Nigel Clibbens.