Manager Keith Curle captured the permanent signature of striker Cole Stockton on Friday afternoon as the mobile front-man made the move down from Edinburgh to join the Blues at Brunton Park.
We spoke to him shortly before his first training session with the club to get his thoughts on his move to Cumbria.
“I’m made up to be here,” he said. “I’ve come down from Scotland this morning to do all the paperwork and I’m just looking forward to getting started now.
“I spoke to the manager and Lee Dykes in the summer about a possible move, but I decided to go to Scotland. I knew that move would put me out of my comfort zone and I wanted a new challenge.
"That didn’t work out but the club [Carlisle United] have stuck around and we've managed to get something done in this window."
“I’m grateful to be here now and I just want to get going," he added. "From what the manager has said to me already I can feel the arm round the shoulder straight away.
"I know he’s a manager who will tell me if something isn’t right as well, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m looking forward to learning and improving."
Speaking about what we can expect from him, he said: “Some people will know I’m a physical striker. I’m into that side of the game and I like to let the defender know I’m there, and not allow them have a nice afternoon.
"I like to think I’m a goal scorer as well, but I’ll put the hard work in and hopefully the goals will come."
Having spent the last six months north of the border in Edinburgh, he said: “I’ve learned a lot mentally from my time in the SPL. Playing against the likes of Celtic is different, but playing against teams like Motherwell is the same standard as League Two.
"There are some better players up there, and players who have played in the Premier League and things like that. I’ve learned in training every day, but it’s hard to say whether I’ve improved or not, because it’s been a stop-start season up to now. What I can say is that I’ve definitely learned mentally."
It all started for Stockton at Tranmere Rovers, a club where he also returned last season as they looked to mount a push back to the ranks of the Football League.
“When I started at Tranmere we were in League One," he commented. "Ronnie Moore was the manager, and I think I made something like 36 appearances in my first professional season, so I couldn’t have asked for much more than that.
"I think I scored eight or nine goals so I was made up with that. With Tranmere it didn’t go very well after that, but I went back last season and we got to the play-off final, which ultimately ended in heart-break. I’m sure they’ll get back up."
And on what he wants from the next 18 months, he said: “I hope to bring goals to the team. I think I’m a different type of forward, and I know Charlie Wyke was here and he did very well. I just want to bring goals, work rate and physicality up top.
“This is a massive club with some great players and we’re still within touching distance of the play-offs, so that still has to be our aim.
"I’m really looking forward to the new challenge. Fingers crossed all the paperwork goes through in time for me to be involved on Saturday.”
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