Carlisle United boss' Owen Moxon message in contract talks

The Blues manager is hoping Moxon will agree a new long-term contract at Brunton Park.

It comes after a week of speculation around the midfielder following a reported £250,000 bid from Blackpool.

Carlisle issued a statement confirming they had turned down an offer – whilst blasting the “leaking” of the news as well as stating Moxon was not for sale.

Simpson said United’s strong stance was important, and he hopes the Carlisle-born star will now agree to the “flipping good contract” the club have tabled.

Asked if he was prepared for negotiations to continue into the new season, Simpson said: “Without a doubt. I want him to stay. He's out of contract next summer and we want him to stay.

OWEN MOXON: A WEEK OF HEADLINES

• Sky report Blackpool bid £250,000 for star
• Blues' initial take on the reports
• United No2 responds to the speculation
• Carlisle's statement: He's not for sale
• Jon Colman: a transfer to-and-fro where nothing is real

“We want him in this club. He knows what I feel about him.

“He knows he has a chance to leave a huge legacy as a Carlisle United player here.

“He's a homegrown lad. He actually loves playing football for us and it's just a case [that] we've just got to keep speaking and hope that he thinks that this is the right place for him, and we can make it the right place.”

Moxon’s current deal is up next summer – a fact Blackpool appeared to try and capitalise on with their offer last week.

The Blues have not confirmed that it was the Seasiders who made a play for Moxon – something first reported by Sky Sports – but Simpson said Carlisle’s response to the interest in the Denton Holme favourite has been clear from day one.

“We had an enquiry from this club [about] a couple of weeks ago for us to name our price,” Simpson revealed.

“Fair play to Nigel [Clibbens, Carlisle’s chief executive], he came to me and said, ‘What are your thoughts?’, and I said I don’t want him to go.

“He said, ‘That's good because I've told them he's not for sale. There's no price to give because he's not for sale’.

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson on the touchline (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“And that's what's happened. It was an offer that was made and it was all done officially. There's nothing underhand done by the club who made the offer, who I'm not going to name.

“There's been reports about it, but it was just turned down flatly because we all believe – and that's me, that's Nigel, that’s the board of directors – that with Owen Moxon in our side, we've got a better chance of being successful.

“I was part of the discussions [last week] that we actually needed to come out and look after ourselves here [with the statement]. There's no point ducking and diving behind things.”

Simpson added that he had approached 25-year-old Moxon about a contract extension two days after May’s League Two play-off final victory over Stockport County.

He said he wanted the former Annan Athletic man – whose performances last season earned widespread plaudits, including a place in the League Two team of the season – to remain with the Blues “for a good few more years”.

“Those conversations have gone on. We've made a fantastic offer for him to stay at the football club, the board are adamant that we want him with us. We can't do any more about it,” added Carlisle’s manager.

“We are very, very disappointed that that it was leaked to the media. Then there's nothing we can do about it. It certainly wasn't leaked by us.

“And our stance – and I've explained this to Mox, I've had many, many conversations with him – is he is not for sale. We want him here for the long term and the directors want him here for the long term.

“There's no thought of cashing in on him or anything like that. We believe that with Owen Moxon in our team, we have a better chance of doing well in League One next season and I am really pleased and thankful that the directors think the same.”

Simpson says he hopes the opportunity of playing regular football with his home-city club will continue to appeal to Moxon to the point where he will sign the new terms.

“He wants to play football, and he's in a situation where he's just come into professional football,” said United’s manager.

“I'm not going to criticise players for wanting to earn as much as they can. I don't know if that particular move would be that financially beneficial to him. Because I know what we've offered and it is a flipping good contract. So I'm hopeful that Owen Moxon will be staying and I’ll be touching wood on that.”