Youth Boss Eric Kinder continued with the planning process towards next season this afternoon by capturing the signature of 15-year-old Middlesbrough Academy midfield star John Seaton.

Seaton, who has been with Boro for a couple of years, signed for United despite intense interest from clubs like Aston Villa, Leicester, Hartlepool and Blackburn Rovers.

Kinder told us tonight: "This is good news for us because John has turned them all down so that he could sign for us. He came across here to play for us against Accrington Stanley and, since that day, he has decided that Carlisle United is the club where he wants to be as he takes his next step in the game. We're absolutely delighted that he has chosen to come to us, and this is a great Youth signing for the club."

"It's important that we let him concentrate on his exam work at the moment," explained Eric, "and Middlesbrough are being very good, because they are going to allow him to continue training with them. We've got a good connection with them over there, so that benefits everyone. He'll play in games for us when we decide that we need him, but the main thing at the moment are his exams."

"He's a very, very good midfielder," he said, "and I really do think this is a great signing for us. It just goes to prove that we are going in the right direction when we can keep clubs like Leicester, Blackburn Rovers and Villa at bay by capturing these signatures. We got in there first by bringing him over for the Stanley game, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself, which has convinced him that we are the right option. I then had a chat with his parents and they also felt that this was the best place for him to come to. As I say, I'm delighted, because I think he'll show us how good he is over the next few years."

"His two year contract will start next season," he added, "and he'll be there along side Michael Dowson, Josh Newsham, Gary Madine and the local lads like Tinnion, Blake and Mitchell. I still think we need two or three more, but we're definitely getting there. If we do get a few more of the quality that we have picked up recently then we are going to have a very good football team on our hands."

"Boro are one of the best, developing Academies in the country at the moment," he concluded, "so it is no bad thing for the lad to be released by them. All it shows is that they must have some absolutely fantastic young players over there if they can afford to release the likes of Dowson and Seaton. The plus side, of course, is that we will reap the benefit."