Carlisle Utd boss: It was vital we showed our ambition in transfer window

After bolstering his promotion-chasing squad with a host of new faces, United’s boss believes their work sends out a message.

Fans will have to wait until next weekend to see the new recruits after tomorrow's game at Crewe was postponed.

Pressley, though, says United’s pre-deadline work was vital in a number of ways.

“I think supporters, like the players at times, need to feel the ambition of the club,” he said.

“That can only be demonstrated by the signing of players. That’s why it was important that, as a club, we showed that ambition.

“We’re in a very good position but I always think the time to strengthen is not when you’re losing but when you’re winning.

“It was important we sent out the right messages to supporters, players and everyone involved with the club that we are serious about trying to achieve our goals this season.”

Pressley also said a post-match comment made by defender Anthony Gerrard after last weekend’s win at Port Vale had resonated with him.

“Gez made the comment that we need reinforcements. He was right,” the Blues boss said.

“They’ve worked really hard, honestly, this group to get themselves in this position.

“When you’re a player in that dressing room you need to feel the ambition of the club and the manager - you need to see that.

“I knew how important it was for the dressing room, and also supporters, that we sent out the correct signals.

“There’s no guarantee now that we go and achieve our goals. But the one thing is, we must show that ambition and I think we’ve demonstrated that.”

He added: “They [the board] can see this is a real opportunity for us. As I said to the players on my first day with them, these don’t come along every season.

“The experienced players know that, the younger players maybe don’t. Last season they weren’t in the position they are now. When they come along you’ve got to grasp them.”

Tomorrow's scheduled game was called off at 1pm today due to a frozen pitch and has been rearranged for Tuesday, February 12 at 7.45pm.

It means next Saturday’s visit of promotion rivals Exeter will see a first opportunity in a blue shirt for the likes of Stefan Scougall, Callum O’Hare, Nathan Thomas and Peter Grant.

Their fellow new boy Mark Cullen could join the squad for training on Monday as he returns from a leg injury, with defender Gary Liddle also hoping to return to the training pitch after a knee problem.

Pressley said Liddle could have been involved in training this week had conditions allowed United to train on grass. Instead, the freezing conditions has seen the squad use the artificial surfaces at Richard Rose Central Academy.

On United’s transfer work, the manager added: “The remainder of the season I thought would very much depend on the five or six days before the Port Vale game and the close of the window.

“Thankfully we’ve managed to do the business and a lot of the business has been players we’ve identified. We’ve not made any, in my opinion, panic signings. They’ve all been calculated and we’re really pleased with that.

“There’s no guarantee with any signings. We can only do our homework and identify what we think’s the right players. But if you said to me on paper are we pleased? A hundred per cent.

“We missed out on a couple of strikers that really would have bolstered the squad and made competition very fierce, but I think we’ve now got the nucleus of a very good squad.”

United missed out with late offers for former loanees Jerry Yates and Ashley Nadesan shortly before Thursday night’s deadline.

Pressley said: “Probably Nadesan might have been the easier one, with him only having six months to go on his contract [at Fleetwood], but the problem there probably was that they were in a position where, if [Ched Evans had gone to Bolton], they’d have been left very short.

“It was always a difficult one. They were two that were on our list, and sometimes if you don’t get the two, you can then start compromising and might not get the right one for the team.

“I felt if we didn’t get them, it might be better we just go with what we’ve got.”

Pressley has also challenged the four young players who left Carlisle today to prove the club wrong.

Sam Adewusi, Jack Egan, Kieron Olsen and Max Brown have departed, United saying they will honour their contracts which run to the end of the season.

Pressley added: “It was a club decision, based around the fact that they weren’t going to likely feature and we felt that for them, the summer market is a more difficult market for young players, because there are so many young players and so many players out of contract in the summer.

“There was no pressure on them to leave whatsoever. But we said, ‘the club would pay your money in full, honour your contract, this is not about money, it’s about you and the opportunity to go and find your way in football’.

“They spoke with their parents and came back to us and felt it was right for them to take this opportunity. They go with our best wishes.

“One of the things I can honestly say is this – I really like when players go away and prove people wrong. I’d love to see all of them go and form a career in football.”

On yesterday’s postponement, Pressley admitted he was disappointed. “When you’re on a run of games, you want to keep that going,” he said.