Bampton Rovers and Penrith Panthers meet Raynes and Thompson
United pair Michael Raynes and Joe Thompson joined the Bampton Rovers and Penrith Panthers squads at Newton Rigg last Thursday for a very enjoyable training session as part of the club’s Community Ticket Scheme.
The local teams were with us at the Portsmouth game in November and received the surprise visit as a thank you for the support they gave on what turned out to be a thrilling afternoon.
Defender Michael Raynes said: “I really enjoy this type of appearance. It adds a bit of an edge for the lads when they see players from the club turn up and it’s nice to see the looks on their faces.
“It was a really good training session, very competitive, and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of it.”
Midfielder Joe Thompson said: “I look back to when I was a kid and it was massive for us when one of the professional players came along to see us.
“The weather was terrible but it was great to see the lads didn’t let it affect them at all. They put a lot into it and it was nice to be able to pass a little bit of advice on at the end. It was a really enjoyable appearance and we wish the lads every success for the rest of their season.”
Karl Collinson, coach of the Penrith Panthers, said: “We’d like to thank Michael and Joe for joining us for what was a brilliant session.
“The players really wanted to impress and I’m sure they learned a lot from having them in their groups. It’s great to see Carlisle United do things like this and I know it’s something our boys will talk about for a long time to come.”
