Paul Simpson has stressed that survival is the most important aim for Carlisle United this season – then the club can continue to build.

The Blues are steadily finding their feet in League One after a tough start since promotion.

A three-game unbeaten run coupled with some positive displays in recent weeks have offered encouragement.

United sit 18th after their first eight games and manager Simpson says growing into a side that can genuinely compete at this level is a gradual process.

He added that getting over the safety line has to be the top priority in this first campaign back at the third tier for the club in a decade.

“It takes a bit of time,” said Simpson.

“The truth is [our current team] probably won’t even be the finished team this season – we’re going to have to keep building.

“You look at clubs like Lincoln and Oxford United, Exeter, Fleetwood…the teams we’ve come up against so far, they’ve had a couple of years to try and build towards it, and we’ve got to keep building.

“The biggest thing for us this year is we have to do enough to make sure we’re still in the league.

“Let’s get to that points total that keeps us up, then look how soon we’ve got it and can we keep pushing on?

“Although I’m saying surviving in this league is the big thing, that’s not the ultimate aim for us – we want to do as well as we possibly can – but the first target is to get enough points to be safe.”

United’s three unbeaten games against Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage and Lincoln City this month have seen the Blues show good signs of adapting to the level.

They next take on promotion favourites Derby County – currently 11th – at Brunton Park on Saturday.