Conor Townsend on his loan spell
New arrival Conor Townsend spoke to us about what he wants from his month with the club shortly after his first training session with the lads on Tuesday afternoon.
“I was looking for a loan move because I want to play football,” he explained. “I was hoping to get out before the loan deadline was up but I’m very happy that we have this done now.
“I was training at Hull yesterday [Monday] and I was told to keep my phone on when I went home. I then got a call to say that Greg [Abbott] was going to be in touch with the details of what was going to happen, and he gave me a ring a little bit later to sort things out.”
“I was very happy that it was Carlisle United who got in touch,” he said. “I was in League Two last season and the Conference the year before, so this is a step up. That’s exactly what I wanted. I’ve been given an opportunity by Greg and I now want to repay that.”
“It was good to get into training today,” he told us. “It was very sharp and fast and I’m under no illusions that this is a tough league to play in. The team hasn’t had the best start but I’ve already seen that there are some good players here. Hopefully we can pick up some results and start climbing the table.
“If I can prove that I can do well at this level and if I help the team then I’m hoping this can be a bit of a springboard for me,” he said. “It’s something which could work out well for both parties. Obviously Hull have done really well over the last few seasons and I know that it’s hard to get into the team over there when it’s like that. I want to prove that I can handle this level and then I can take it from there.”
Having spent time with Grimsby Town and Chesterfield over the last 18 months, he said: “I’ve enjoyed the two loan spells I’ve had previously. The time at Grimsby during my first year as a professional was an eye-opener. It made me grow up and it was probably the best move I could have made at that stage of my career.
“Last season with Chesterfield was a progression from that. My long term goal is to hopefully get into the Hull City team and I see this move as the next step in helping me to achieve that. This is a big club from what I’ve seen and I am genuinely happy to be here.
“I’ve experienced first team football before so there isn’t anything that’s new to me. Those loan spells have really helped me so I don’t feel as nervous as I did when I was 18 and I was going out to Grimsby for the first time. It’s a challenge I feel ready for. There are some big teams in this league and the standard of football is another notch up, but it’s something I’m really looking forward to."
And on what we can expect to see, he said: “I like to get forward and I like to get the ball in the box. I’m quite confident in possession and I think a good part of how I play is that I like to keep it as much as possible. I’m quite a fit lad and I’ll run all day if I need to. I will always give my all for the team.
“My aims here are to play as much as I can and to do as well as I can. I don’t know what the gaffer is thinking but, if I’ve done well enough, then I would be open to staying here longer. All any young lad wants is to be playing regularly and I think this is an opportunity for me to do that if I do things properly.”
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