As we rapidly approach the festive football period, it’s now the busiest period of the season for Carlisle United.

From tomorrow, when the Blues play host to Colchester, United will play five matches in 17 days.

This probably is the most crucial part of the season, really.

It’s a case of, if you get on a good run and start to pick up points, you can close the gap and get near the League Two play-off places. But if you don’t do particularly well, you can easily end up stuck in mid-table and the gates will drop at Brunton Park.

I think it’s crucial John Sheridan’s side do get a good points tally from the next five games because, if they do, with the January transfer window fast approaching, that might help their chances of maybe getting that player who could make a difference.

Reading reports from last weekend’s 2-0 loss at leaders MK Dons, it sounds like the team are going through the motions. There doesn’t look like there is anyone who is going to make something happen.

But it only takes one individual to spark the side back to life a bit more.

I thought Jamie Devitt had done it when he scored two goals in quick succession in United’s 3-2 win at Newport County last month, before captain Danny Grainger popped up with the decisive fifth goal.

Blues boss Sheridan has conceded defeat in his bid to extend Fleetwood loan man Ashley Nadesan’s Brunton Park stay, and instead, he is looking at signing one or two strikers next month. The good thing about Sheridan is he knows what he wants.

But as I have said, if you are four or five points off the top seven, rather than 10 points off, you are going to be in a better position to attract potential targets.

Hopefully, Grainger will be fit enough to play a part for Carlisle this weekend after his recent injury troubles.

He is one who brings a bit of steel because, really, the Cumbrians are a bit too nice without him.

Without the likes of Grainger on the field and setting the tempo, when United are forced to come from 1-0 down, they are not able to build a sustained period of pressure.

This week, it was also revealed there seems to be a plan in place to continue the controversial current format of the Checkatrade Trophy for a further three seasons, although it won’t be called “The Checkatrade Trophy” with the EFL’s partnership with the sponsor ending.

In the past, I have been to United’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy finals at Wembley and the Millennium Stadium. I felt it was a well-run competition when it was the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and designed for lower-league clubs.

Everybody has their own opinion on the current format but you cannot changed mine. I think the attendances over the past few seasons have proved supporters’ views, really. Even result-wise, I hardly look at them.

It’s sad to see the situation that Coventry find themselves in, with the Sky Blues’ rental agreement with Wasps, the stadium owners, set to expire at the end of the season.

Although there are things at Carlisle that are easy to criticise, at least they have their own stadium. You look at Coventry, and the history that the club has, and it shows the state lower-league football is in at the moment.

Unless you have a wealthy backer taking the club forward, most League One and League Two clubs are in the same boat.