Rotherham striker Jerry Yates came fresh from his first training session with the lads to talk about his half-season loan move and what he wants from his spell with Carlisle United.
“It was good to be out on the field with the lads,” he said. “It’s helped to get to know them in time for the game tomorrow. The place has a good feel about it and I’m just looking to enjoy it, gain some good experience from the move and see where it takes me.
“I came up last night [Thursday] and spoke to the gaffer, then I came in early this morning to go in the gym with the lads. They’ve been brilliant with me and it’s been a good way to get to know them.”
On what prompted him to make the switch to Cumbria, he told us: “I’ve been itching to get out on loan and get more first team experience. This is a club that wants to do well so I’m looking forward to it.
“The manager told me that the it’s a squad full of good lads and they all want to work hard. He wants me to come here to score goals and to enjoy my football. He’s also said that he wants the club to push on.
“That makes it even better because you don’t want to be around a negative mindset. It’s much better to be at a place where being at the top end is the target. I really want to be part of that.
“The other factor is that it’s a six-month deal so I know I have to perform well to get to stay here beyond that, which is my target. Hopefully I’ll get the pitch time and the goals, and we can all take it from there.”
Having notched up over 50 appearances with the Millers and through two separate loan spells with Harrogate Town, he said: “I’ve been in and out of the squad and called upon a few times. That’s been great, but I feel like I need to be playing constantly at this stage of my career and at my age.
“That’s why I can’t wait to be fully settled in here and getting on with it. Being 21 now I don’t think I can keep classing myself as a youngster. It’s time to prove myself and I’m grateful to the gaffer for giving me that chance.”
“The staff at Rotherham have been fantastic and they’ve sent me over here having told me they have belief in me and in what I can do,” he added. “They’ve helped me so much throughout my career anyway and I know if I need them they’re only a phone call away.
“To be honest, they know the manager here is going to look after me and they have complete confidence that I’ll be able to come here and fit in with what Carlisle United do.”
As for what we can expect to see, he commented: “It’s always hard to describe yourself but I like to think I have a bit of pace and will always work hard for the team.
“Being a striker is about scoring goals, so I obviously want to bring that to the team as well. Everything I want to achieve here is about me growing and developing to become the player I feel I should be.”
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