Chris Conn-Clarke says he’s thrilled to commit his future to Carlisle United for the remainder of the season after extending his loan spell at Brunton Park.
The attacker has been a key part of the Blues’ squad since arriving in early October and admits getting the deal done has allowed him to fully focus on what matters most - his football.
“I’m happy that we’ve finally done it and done it a bit earlier than expected,” Conn-Clarke said. “Now I can just focus on my football, keep my head down and do what I came here to do.”
When asked if it was an easy decision, the answer was simple.
“Yeah, it was pretty easy,” he stated. “I’ve settled in well, the lads are sound and I feel like I’ve done okay so far. Hopefully I can do a lot more between now and the end of the season and we can finish where we want to finish.”
Having joined the Blues after a slow start to the campaign elsewhere, Conn-Clarke admits it took a little time to find his rhythm, but feels he’s now back to his best after a recent spell on the sidelines.
“It took me a while to get going because I hadn’t played much at the start of the season,” he explained. “Then I came in and played a lot of games, it caught up with me a bit and I picked up a small injury. But I’m back fit now and ready to play.”
Settling into life off the pitch, however, was never an issue.
“The lads have been superb,” he said. “We’ve got a really good group in there, no cliques, everyone sticks together. That made the decision to stay even easier.”
A familiar face in the dressing room helped too, with Conn-Clarke rekindling his partnership with Regan Linney.
“We joke all the time that I need him and he needs me,” he laughed. “The more we play together, the better we’ll be. It’s a joy to play with him, but we’ve got a lot of good players in this squad and it’s a great group to be part of.”
That connection has already paid dividends, most notably in the standout performance against Southend where Conn-Clarke scored and assisted.
“When you play with someone for a long time and you’ve got that relationship, you just know where they’re going to be,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t even need to look. Regan’s a dangerous player and the more I can get him on the ball, the more chances we’ll create - that’s what’s best for the team.”
Conn-Clarke’s Carlisle career began in style, with two goals on his debut in the FA Cup against Boston United, and he’s been struck by the level of support ever since.
“The fans have been brilliant, home and away,” he said. “I didn’t expect the away support to be that good, but it’s been unbelievable. Blackpool especially - in the warm-up there were thousands of our fans singing and I just thought, this is what I play football for.”
A recent groin injury temporarily halted his momentum, but Conn-Clarke has praised the club’s medical staff for helping him through his recovery.
“The club’s been brilliant with me,” he said. “Sophie and Nathan have been superb. It was a bit of fatigue with the amount of games and I hurt my groin, but I’m glad I’m back now. Being around such a good group makes it easier when you’re injured - it keeps you motivated to get back out there.”
With a potential return to action just around the corner, Conn-Clarke is confident the Blues can maintain their push at the top of the table.
“I’m still very confident,” he said. “We’re top of the league at the minute. Other teams might have games in hand, but they don’t have the points on the board. With our squad depth, we can rotate and it won’t affect us. I’m very positive about what we can achieve.”
Settling into life in Cumbria has also been a positive experience for Conn-Clarke and his family.
“It’s been nice moving up here,” he added. “It’s a quiet area, a bit colder than I’m used to, but it’s good. The fans are great - even when I’m out shopping people stop me, which is always nice.”
And his message to the United faithful ahead of the run-in?
“Just stick with us,” he said. “There’ll be ups and downs, but don’t get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. Just stay positive.”
