Carlisle United Manager Greg Abbott has labelled the last few weeks the worst period of the year after telling a group of the Club’s second year Apprentices that they would not receive a professional deal in the summer.
“It’s never something that I enjoy because you get to know these lads and you know how much they want to progress,” said Abbot.
“The harsh reality is that there can’t be a place for everybody but what we do try to do, through our Head of Youth Eric Kinder, is help wherever we can to get the lads fixed up with something else so that they can continue to play football at a decent level.”
With that in mind, the Club has helped the current crop of released youngsters to fix up work experience packages at various non league Clubs.
Jon Ball joins Gateshead in the Blue Square Premier, Paddy O’Brien joins Evo-Stick outfit Clitheroe, Matt Osmond and Phil Towler head into the STL Northern League at Billingham Synthonia and Penrith respectively while Mark Sloan joins Workington Town.
“The good thing about this type of work experience spell is that the lads are on a recall should anything else crop up,” said Kinder.
“In the mean time they are able to play their football and hopefully establish themselves with these Clubs. They can also still attend exit trials if they wish, so it’s an arrangement that works for all concerned.”
“What we never want to do is just send them away without trying to help them to get something else fixed up, if at all possible. That’s why we are always pleased to see them tie something up with another Club, and we are more than happy to let them play elsewhere even though they are still technically under contract with us.”
