Morgan Feeney says Carlisle United cannot afford to forget last season’s struggles even as they aim for better things in 2022/23.

The popular defender says the memory of United’s gruelling survival fight must act as fuel for the challenges ahead.

Feeney says players have the appetite to deliver a better campaign this time around.

The ex-Everton and Sunderland man, speaking after United beat Penrith 5-1 in their first pre-season friendly on Friday, said: “It’s nice to have a bit of a clean slate, but it’s still in the memory, because we don’t want to be in that same situation.

“We’ve all come back hungry and the new boys who’ve come in are hungry as well, to add to the group, which they have.

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“We’re really excited for the first game because we know we can put it right this year.”

Feeney and his team-mates got their first 45 minutes of pre-season on Friday night.

The 23-year-old said the game came out of a punishing early stage of summer training under boss Paul Simpson.

“It has been a really tough pre-season, the load’s been really high and the intensity’s been really high which is important,” he said.

“Team spirit’s really high because of it as well, because we’ve been dragging each other through it.

“It’s never easy but you’ve got to enjoy it with a smile on your face; it brings you closer together.

“I think we’re in a good place. We’re all coming through it unscathed, touch wood, and we’re feeling better from it and getting fitter and stronger by the day.”

Feeney said the first outing of pre-season was a successful exercise for the Blues.

“It was important we got a bit in our legs,” he said.

“We trained in the morning, and it was important to top that up when we were tired, which we did; we all had targets to hit in the half and we all did it.

“It’s a good ten days we’ve been back, and in the first 45 is important everyone did it right and got what we needed out of it, and I think we all did.”

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Feeney was complimentary about Darren Edmondson’s Penrith side in Friday’s game at Frenchfield Park.

“They were really resolute,” he said of United’s Northern League hosts.

“They seem like a young side but they had a right go to be fair to them.

“They were keen, they were young, and they were solid.

“We had to work hard. We had a lot of the ball, and eventually broke them down. We knew we just had to be patient.

“It was a good test, because you’re going to come up against teams like that in the season. It’s about good habits and implementing them on the pitch.”

United’s side included three of their summer signings, with Ryan Edmondson making his first appearance with a goal.

“The dressing room they’ve come into is a really good dressing room in terms of being welcoming, and they’ve settled in as though they’ve been here a couple of years,” Feeney said.

“They’ve been great additions and they’re all good lads.”

Feeney rose to prominence in Carlisle’s defence last season after an injury-hit first half-season in Cumbria.

He is targeting another campaign of progress – but is not taking his place for granted in Simpson’s back line.

“My aims last season were to play as much as possible and I got a good chunk of games in after a slow start,” he said.

“This year I’m hoping I can make that position my own, but everyone else wants to as well.

“Hopefully we’ve got a really competitive group and I just want to play as many games as possible and do my bit for the team.”