Simpson: We must live up to Carlisle United takeover 'buzz'

The Blues boss said the team’s 5-1 hiding at Reading was a particularly underwhelming outcome in the context of the big news over the last week at Brunton Park.

The American family’s takeover at United has been greeted with huge positivity both inside and outside the club.

It was deflating in the extreme, then, for the second game of their tenure to see such a heavy defeat to a relegation rival.

The midweek trip to Berkshire saw 556 travelling fans give Simpson’s side impressive support.

The manager said the midweek showing left them short-changed – and was at odds with the mood of transformation at United.

“The [fans] were outstanding, they really were, and our performance wasn’t,” said Simpson, whose side have not been in action this weekend.

“We made it a real tough night for them, for ourselves, and it’s such a massive disappointment because there’s such a buzz around what’s gone on around this football club over the last week.

Tom Piatak and his family were at the Reading game (Image: Richard Parkes)

“It’s probably the biggest news this football club’s had for many, many years – there’s so much positivity, and the crowd, the performance, even getting a point on Saturday against a really good Charlton side, should have set us up tonight to put in a much better performance and get a better result than we [did at Reading], and we haven’t done it.”

Carlisle, after licking their wounds from the midweek thrashing, are now preparing to return to action at Blackpool next Saturday where a big away following will back the Blues.

Simpson, who has given his players some down time in a bid to “refresh” his squad, remains eager to add to his squad with United continuing to try and get a deal for a goalkeeper over the line.