Carlisle United Football Club are delighted to confirm that defender Anthony Gerrard has signed a six-month deal which keeps him at the club until the end of the current season.
Gerrard, 32, initially joined the club on deadline day during the August transfer window and has made 27 appearances for the Blues so far, making himself a favourite with the fans into the bargain.
Director of football David Holdsworth said: “We’re very happy he’s decided to stay. We haven’t over-committed in terms of the length of the contract, we’ll evaluate that side of things again in the summer.
“As long as he remains as fit as he is at the moment, we’ll look to keep him on board. He’s enjoying his time here and he’s settled right in. One of our fans actually sent me a video of him playing a spoon game with Jerry Yates, which I found quite funny.
“He’s a character and he’s happy to be here. We asked him to come in at 9.30am to sign his deal and he was here at 8.30am sitting outside waiting to get it done. That’s how much he likes us and we like him.”
“We’ve supported Anthony through his ongoing case, and I think that has been really important. It isn’t just about sending players out onto the football pitch, we’ve supported him through various things and we’ve all done things professionally.
“He knows he has a home here and both the fans and players like him. He brings an edge, and I think that’s a good thing on the pitch. We’re looking for leaders, and the fact that he’s bought into us is a good thing.”
Gerrard started his professional career with Premier League giants Everton having come through the academy ranks with the Toffees from the tender age of just eight years old.
A loan spell with Walsall led to a permanent move to the Bescot Stadium at the end of the 2004/05 campaign. Firmly established as a favourite, following over 150 appearances with the Saddlers, he ended his four-year association with the club when he accepted a move to join Cardiff City in the summer of 2009.
A season on-loan with Hull City preceded a three-year stay with Huddersfield Town, and he then joined Oldham Athletic for the first time at the end of the 2014/15 season.
Having been released by the Terriers, he signed for Shrewsbury Town, but he was quickly back in Oldham for a second spell as he helped former-United boss John Sheridan to keep the Latics in League One.
He signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Oldham during the January 2017 transfer window and made a total of 69 appearances at Boundary Park, prior to his move to Cumbria.
Anthony Gerrard is sponsored by Ian and Liz Hoyle.
