Carlisle United chief executive delighted at ex-owner Fred Story's backing

Former owner Story has shown his support to United for the new season through his firm Story Homes sponsoring the back of the team’s shirts.

It sees the Brunton Park supremo from 2004-8 throw his weight behind the new Paul Simpson era at Carlisle.

Chief executive Nigel Clibbens urged fans not to get “carried away” regarding the prospect of any deeper involvement from the prominent businessman.

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But he said the fact Story was publicly backing United could send a positive message to others.

“We’re delighted Story Homes are on the back of the shirt,” said Clibbens. “Reading anything more [into that] at this stage is a bit premature.

“I had an hour-and-a-half with Fred at the legends game, I sat next to him in the [directors'] box, and he said to me, ‘Don’t get carried away, don’t get any ideas of me coming to be the white knight here…’

United won two promotions during Story's ownership from 2004-8 (photo: Paula Paisley)

“He wants to support the club. He’s a great person at doing that. He’s done it in the past, put his money in, we’re glad to have them on board and it’s great to have local businesses.

“Hopefully others will follow that lead and will say, ‘If Fred’s willing to support the club again, I think we will.’

“Those kind of messages are positive, so we’ll see.”

Some fans had speculated whether Story’s sponsorship might see the man who delivered success to United in the noughties come back in a future ownership capacity.

Clibbens’ comments at last week’s fans’ forum duly cooled such talk.

But the director said there had been positive signs about the way the business community was backing the Brunton Park club.

He said recent deals with other firms reflected the positive feeling around United since Simpson’s return as manager.

He added that the recent fixtures breakfast event, attended by a number of business people, had led to a number of deals.

“We have made some actual, proper sales, got some cash in, sold some commercial properties as they say off the back of it,” Clibbens said.

“With Covid, we haven’t had the opportunity to have businesses in a room like this [for some time], to explain what’s going on to try and get their views.

“There were about 80 people in the room, 30 were new, and we saw some old friends and faces who committed to supporting us next season.

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“The commercial team have been working really hard to get back to those people. Debbie [Huddart], who joined us two days before as our new commercial sales manager, has been out all day [last Thursday] at businesses off the back of that meeting.

“The hospitality’s also going great; lots of the games [for next season] are already sold, far more than this time in previous seasons. [The number of] individuals who’ve booked tables in Foxy’s Restaurant is far higher.”

Simpson himself said he felt a wave of “positivity” at recent business events as well as the recent kit launch in the Blues Store.

“I’m not stupid, I know we need to win games of football to keep that positive feel, but that’s what our aim is,” the manager added.