United boss Paul Simpson used the Fixture Release breakfast on Thursday morning to thank the representatives from local businesses and the club partners for their ongoing and very much appreciated support ... with host John Halpin introducing him as ‘League One manager ...’
“Wow, League One manager Paul Simpson, that sounds nice doesn’t it!” he joked.
Of course, that received a cheer and another round of applause.
“It really does feel odd, when you think about, because it’s only three or four weeks ago we were all celebrating at Wembley, and enjoying everything that went with it,” he said.
“When I got up this morning I spent a bit of time wondering what I should wear for this event, and when I picked my shoes out I noticed that they were still covered in Wembley mud.
“That’s poor from me. When I think back to when I started with Manchester City that would have been an instant fine, to put footwear away that’s still dirty, so please forgive me.
“But here we are, and I want to echo something that Nigel has just said. I can only thank you for the support and positivity you’ve all helped to build up from the first day I came back here in February 2022.
“I asked you all then to come along and do your bit to give us a fighting chance, and you’ve certainly responded. It’s so good to see that you’re here with us in numbers again today.”
“There’s no secret to the fact that we need the local community and the local business community to be behind us,” he continued. “Like I say, you’ve responded, so let’s keep it going and let’s see where it can take us.
“Again, as Nigel said, this is where it starts to get real. I received the fixture list that you’re about to see earlier and I have to say it’s brilliant.
“There are some fantastic games to look forward to. Importantly, with so many teams being so far away, it’s actually come out quite favourably for our fans in terms of travel times and days.
“The Tuesday night fixtures are mostly at home, with two of them away, and getting to places like Reading and Burton during midweek will always be a test. But it’s a test I know so many of our fans will enjoy regardless.”
The season kicks off, of course, with a home game against Fleetwood.
“All you can ever ask for is a home game to start and that’s the way it’s fallen for us,” he told us. “We know we have 23 teams to play away from Brunton Park, that’s a fact of life in football, but I think you’ll agree that it could have been much worse, possibly even horrendous, in terms of scheduling.
“I think it’s fallen out as well as it could have over the key periods. The only warning I will give is that it’s FA Cup third round day when we’re supposed to play Exeter at the beginning of January.
“We’ll all have to suck that one up as being rearranged for a Tuesday trek because I fully intend that we’ll still be in that competition at that stage, so all the best with that!”
And on the imminent revealing of the new kit to the assembled audience, he commented: “I hope you like it. I have to say, as a 56-year-old bloke, the way kit is marmite.
“It’s a bit different, but I know it’ll be very well liked.”
“The job for me now is recruitment,” he concluded. “It’s difficult, but that’s no different to how it was for us last summer.
“There’s no need to panic, we’re working away and let’s hope it’s a good group that we get together for you all to come and watch and support.
“There’s plenty of positivity, and I know the new arrivals we secure will add to that. We are constantly working away, we’re comfortable, but if it’s the Friday night before that Fleetwood game and we still haven’t announced anybody, you most definitely will have my permission to panic at that point!
“Thank you once again for the support and positivity you’ve helped us to create. Let’s keep building, let’s keep looking forward and let’s push on together.”
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