news @ cufconline
manager demands change after wrong studs fiasco
Tue Jan 23 2001
Ian Atkins
Ian Atkins:
unhappy with
studs fiasco
Matty Glennon
Matty Glennon:
on the move?

Ian Atkins has called for an end to the "jobs for the boys" culture at Carlisle United after the team turned up at Hartlepool with the wrong kind of studs.

The United manager said it was the second time that the correct kit had not been packed for away trips. And Atkins wants to bring in his own men to make sure the job gets done properly in the future.

United arrived at muddy Victoria Park with no long studs for the players' boots. Atkins said: "I believe that over the past two or three years it has been jobs for the boys. I don't want that situation. I want proper people in the proper roles. We have had a situation where we turned up at Hartlepool and we didn't have any long studs.

"This is a professional club and that is not acceptable. I want to do things my way, while obviously working within the framework set down by the people who have taken over the football club, because I have been successful doing it in the past.

"If I am forced to have 'jobs for the boys' then it is not good for Carlisle because the club is not going to go forward." He added: "It is just getting a bit slipshod off the pitch and I want to tighten up on it totally. Hopefully I will be allowed to do it at Carlisle because I know I can be successful. I want to do things the right way with the right people. I have had to work all year with things that have not been quite to my liking, now I want to do it my way to push the club forward for the next few years."

Atkins is pushing to bring in his own assistants and coaches at Brunton Park. The club has not replaced David Heslop, who quit as youth coach last year, has not had a chief scout since Martin Wilkinson was promoted to manager in 1999 and Atkins does not have a number two.

Glennon on the move?

United's on-loan keeper Matty Glennon appears all set tonight to join Second Division Bristol Rovers.

Glennon is on a season's long loan from Bolton Wanderers and can't be recalled by Bolton but they retain the option of selling him on. He had a loan spell at Rovers earlier this season. The fee is believed to be in the region of £250,000.

The move would come as a blow to the Cumbrians after Glennon's displays in recent weeks, which has earned him several man of the match awards. However, they have a ready-made replacement in Luke Weaver, last season's player of the year. Weaver was dropped by Ian Atkins after a below-par performance at Torquay United in October.

Lee to sign in this week

Lee Maddison is expected to sign for Carlisle United this week.

United manager Ian Atkins had hoped to have the Dundee left-back in his squad before last Saturday's trip to Hartlepool, but delays held up the move.

And although it was thought the former Northampton defender would commit himself to Carlisle yesterday the club are confident he will be in place in time for the visit of Mansfield at the weekend.

Atkins said: "Hopefully it will be done this week. As far as I know everyone is OK at our end, and things are more to do with the Dundee side now. If we can tie him up that will give us a bit of competition on the left. We already have a bit of competition on the right. Gordon Connelly was very unlucky to miss out on Saturday because he has done well for us and he will keep everybody on their toes."

Atkins rules out Cup replay option

Ian Atkins says he is not desperate to replay the FA Cup tie with Arsenal after doubts emerged this week over the Greek passport of Lithuanian-born Arsenal player Tomas Danilevicius.

In extreme circumstances the FA could order the match to be replayed but Atkins does not believe that anyone at Arsenal attempted to bend the rules.

"I would not want to push this any further," he said. "At the end of the day they deserved to edge through, but if the FA decide differently then that is another matter."


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