Carlisle United Football Club

The machine, used to maintain fitness levels as well as an aid to recovery, is designed to limit the amount of oxygen delivered to the muscles during exercise periods by replicating higher altitude conditions within the normal working environment.

“I’ve done this type of training before when I’ve been at other clubs,” he said. “I was also given a mask over the summer which I was able to use as well. It’s a different type of training but you get used to it after a while.

“Basically it feels like it makes it harder to breathe as you do your exercise, so that turns it into a completely different type of work-out. As I say, I’ve done it before and I’m at a stage where I know what to expect, so I just get on with it.

“The hamstring injury wasn’t a bad one in the first place so I’m able to do a little bit more anyway. With this added to the rehab it should mean that I can get back that little bit quicker, which is good.” 

“It’s annoying that I’ve picked this one up, particularly when I’d had a couple of starts under my belt,” he admitted. “I had to be patient with that and it was good to get out there again. Playing in the back three is something I’ve done before and I do enjoy it. 

“The whole approach to the way we play has been different this year and it’s been enjoyable. That made getting this injury even more annoying. All I can do now is get over it and work hard to get back in the team.” 

“I think the manager knows what I’m about and what I’m able to do by now,” he added. “He’s using everyone in the squad this season, as we’ve seen, and I’m the same as everyone else. I just want to be involved as much as possible.” 

“The back to back league wins have given everyone a lift,” he said. “I think we’ve shown in almost every game that we’re moving forward this season. We still have one or two things to work on but we’ve all been really pleased with how we’ve been playing. If we keep going this way we’ll be doing well.

“It all feels different to how it did last season. Like I say, the way we’ve been playing has picked everyone up. There are also quite a few new players who were nothing to do with how things went last time round. 

“That’s helped us to bring a new mindset into it and it’s almost like it’s a completely fresh start. The mix of characters is really good as well. I love it here at the moment and hopefully I’ll be over this injury and involved again soon.”