Paul Simpson has revealed how chairman Andrew Jenkins helped persuade Paul Gerrard to stay at Carlisle United.

The manager said a conversation with long-serving co-owner Jenkins at Sunday’s end-of-season dinner convinced goalkeeping coach Gerrard to remain with the Blues.

A deal for Gerrard to continue beyond the end of this campaign was announced on Monday.

It followed a stint of just over two months for the former Doncaster Rovers coach since Simpson’s return to the club.

And United’s manager is delighted the ex-Everton and Oldham Athletic goalkeeper is staying on board.

“I think him coming in, he’s realised what a good opportunity this could be,” said Simpson.

“He [Gerrard] has had some enquiries about other clubs.

“I’ve bent his ear for the last couple of weeks about wanting him to stay, and we got to a point where I felt we made a really good offer for him to come up here.

“I can’t really claim the credit. I know the chairman had a chat to him on Sunday night.

“He [Gerrard] came to me and said, ‘Look, I’ve just listened to what the chairman’s got to say – I’m in’.

“I said, ‘Let’s have a chat again tomorrow morning when neither of us have got any red wine in our system and we’ll go again’.

“Thankfully on Monday morning the conversation carried on, we got it all finalised in the afternoon, and he’s here.”

Simpson said Gerrard, as well as working with United’s goalkeepers, will have a part in the recruitment of a new keeper this summer.

It follows the release of player of the year Mark Howard.

“We’re going to need his expertise in terms of getting the right goalkeeper to come in for us, but also his expertise in working with three other goalkeepers – I’m using Magnus Norman as one of them because I’m hoping he’s going to stay, and two really promising young goalkeepers in Gabe and Scott – who will need developing and taking to another level,” Simpson added.

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