Carlisle United's Tobi Sho-Silva on his deadline day move from Sutton United

“I think I’d just woken up from a nap, and got a call from my agent saying about Carlisle,” he said.

“I had to kind of make a decision quite soon. But I knew it was part of my plan for my career, and a good stepping stone for me.

“It turned into a bit of a rollercoaster couple of days, but it was nice to experience something like that. It was my first experience of deadline day.”

Sho-Silva, then, joined Carlisle United from Sutton United in the final hour of the January window. He was one of four signings announced by the Blues in a breathless 40 minutes on Monday night.

Now he, and we, can exhale a little – and find out a little more about one of the strikers brought in to revitalise League Two’s lowest-scoring side.

The 26-year-old has spent the last year and a half with Sutton, helping the south London club rise from the National League to the upper reaches of League Two.

Sho-Silva, left, pictured in action for Sutton against Carlisle last Saturday (photo: Barbara Abbott)

His last involvement for them was as a substitute in their 2-0 win at Brunton Park last Saturday. Now he is here for good.

“My first thoughts [when I heard about Carlisle] were, ‘I was just there the other day, and it was a pretty long journey…’

“But it was also one of those where I knew the size and history of the club. It’s always nice to be wanted. I was just looking forward to keeping my options open and then getting the deal done.”

Sho-Silva pictured in training with United on Thursday (photo: Amy Nixon)

Sho-Silva is a Londoner who has played most of his football in the south, bar a spell at Inverness in 2015/16. Uprooting to Cumbria was a consideration, he says, but one he was prepared to make for the good of his career.

“It is a big factor,” he said of the travelling, “but this is the nature of the work. As footballers we have to make sacrifices for our careers, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s not as far as Inverness, and hopefully it’s not as cold, but I’m just ready to get on with it whatever.”

Sutton have risen from the National League to the upper reaches of League Two (photo: Richard Parkes)

Sho-Silva may not have gone for his nap in the knowledge he would be moving clubs on Monday, but he says he has always been open-minded about what might come next. “I’m always open to something happening and that’s been the nature of my career. You’ve just got to wait for opportunities and be in the right mind frame to process things properly so you can make the right decision for yourself, your family and career.”

He started as a junior player with Charlton Athletic from 11, remaining with the Addicks for a decade before heading into non-league with clubs such as Bromley, Dover, Halifax and latterly Sutton.

His first season was the National League title-winning campaign at Gander Green Lane. He scored four in 35 games last season, and one in 12 this term, as other frontmen such as Isaac Olaofe and Richie Bennett lead the way.

Keith Millen believes Sho-Silva can add physical presence to a Blues attack which sorely needs such a quality. Perhaps the new boy can also bring a winning mentality with him having spent so much recent time with a club on the up.

Keith Millen signed five players, including Sho-Silva, on deadline day (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“A hundred per cent,” he said. “I’d say the time at Sutton has a very special place in my heart. It was the first time I’ve won the league, made my professional debut there, and it’s a good group of boys. I’ve probably learned more in the last 18 months at Sutton than in the majority of my career, just in terms of winning habits and what it takes to win a game of football.

“I’m hopefully going to be able to pass that on with some of the boys here and discuss what I’ve learned with the manager, if there’s anything I can do to help. My focus is winning games of football.”

Sho-Silva believes he can add a range of qualities to a Carlisle front line which also sees fellow deadline-day arrivals Kristian Dennis and Owen Windsor competing for places.

“I’ve been thinking about that – I like to challenge aerially and put myself about, and I also like to run channels or hold it up and score goals, and press the front,” he says, when asked to describe his game.

“My brother would describe me as a complete striker, neither here or there, so I’m happy to bring everything to the game.

“If I can bring all those dimensions to what the manager wants, I think it would contribute quite a lot.”

Sho-Silva says he is looking forward to working under a manager with Millen’s experience. He believes he has plenty to offer both in terms of boosting Carlisle’s standing, and his own.

United are hoping to end a three-game losing run at Rochdale tomorrow (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“I think it’s just showcasing to the football world what I bring to the table on a regular basis,” he said, “hopefully refining my game and developing and growing under the manager here, and the club. I’m just really looking forward to drawing out that potential which I know is inside of me.

“It’s kind of like a fresh start, and sometimes you find different places and locations where you can either reinvent yourself or showcase what you’re about. Hopefully this will be a great time in my career and in my life.

“I’m really excited. I guess when you’re a player you learn a lot through your younger years and now I’m kind of into my peak, and the latter stages of my career, so I now have a lot of experience and knowledge of the game, and I know myself quite well. I just want to bring that to the party, as they say.”

Sho-Silva, a former England Under-18 international, received lots of fond and respectful messages from his Sutton peers as news of his move was announced. The idea is that Carlisle will benefit from his positive personality, but most importantly he and they must deliver over the course of 18 vital games.

“I think it’s just time for us to get to know each other, to gel, and learn about each other’s games and how we can make partnerships on the pitch so we can contribute,” he said.

Sho-Silva is hoping to make his Blues debut at Rochdale tomorrow (photo: Amy Nixon)

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s part of football, where you leave one group of boys and go into another group of boys, and you have to embrace that challenge.

“I’m a people person and I like to get know everyone and see who we can gel together. We’re all individuals but also part of Carlisle United, so if we can gel together off the pitch it will only help when we’re on it.”

Sho-Silva says his non-league grounding has given him the “hunger” to move on in his career, and he intends to make the most of his next steps in the Football League.

“It’s always been an ambition of mine so the challenge was to get there,” he said. “The next challenge to stay there and progress. Knowing how hard I’ve worked to get here means I want to display what I can do while I’m here at Carlisle.”

The first chance to do that could come at Rochdale tomorrow, where Carlisle could really do with a result. As at Salford, their fans will travel in numbers, hoping for better.

“I think football’s about the fans,” Sho-Silva said. “If it wasn’t for the fans there wouldn’t be a lot of football.

“I’m really looking forward to hopefully wearing the shirt with honour and passion, and just working hard for the club to bring around good results and enjoyable football.”