INTERVIEW: Ten years of hard work

"This year has been a long year for me," Kyle explained. "I played a lot of games last year but I've had my injury this season and that has been very frustrating. 

"When you're injured it's tough because you go in the gym every day and you just don't know if the manager will change his mind or forget about you. I also didn't know if I was going to come back as the same player, but thankfully I did."

"When I got told I'd been given a contract I couldn't really believe it," he added. "I've been here since the under-8 level so ten years of hard work has finally paid off. It's a really good feeling. It's up to me to make the most of it now. 

"Something I've done since I was a kid is to never settle for what I've got. Once I do something I want to make myself better and better, and that's exactly how I'm going to approach next season."

"Being a local lad means that when we go home everybody knows about the club," he said. "When we've been in the squad people have asked what it's like and they're all really proud that I've been involved. It makes me feel proud of myself as well because I'm just a local lad who has managed to get a contract. It genuinely does feel like my hard work has paid off. 

"Seeing players like Dave Symington, Brad Potts and Mark Gillespie in the first team does give you confidence because they've been in the same position as us. They've shown they can do it so there's no reason why we can't kick on and do the same."

"We've been at the club together since we were eight," Patrick explained. "We knew each other before then, and our parents are really good friends, so it's good for us both to be offered these contracts. 

"I think it does make it more special that we're from the area. A lot of people where we live support Carlisle so they're all really pleased for us. They always ask how we're getting on and how the club is doing, so it's nice" 

"I was absolutely chuffed when I got told the news," he admitted. "I walked down the corridor and spoke to Kyle and then I told my mam. She was obviously really pleased for me." 

"It was a great feeling but, on the other hand, it was a difficult day because Lewis [Brass] and Jake [Chisholm] were told they weren't getting deals. It was difficult to know what to say to them.  They were both upset, because they've worked really hard, so it was horrible in that sense."  

"Like Kyle said, it's up to us to take this chance now," he commented. "I'll make sure I'm as fit as I can be over the summer so that when we do come back I'll put myself in with a chance of getting in the squad.  

"Kav told us that we've done well to get this offer but that it's even harder to get another one. Our job is to break into the squad and show everybody we can handle it. The first team have got three huge games left, hopefully we can stay in the league and we can come back in pre-season and be League One players. That would be the icing on the cake."