Last week, we spoke to Head Coach Mark Hughes.
Speaking to CUTV, firstly on Regan Linney, he said: “[There was] Obviously a lot of interest in Regan from leagues above, so yes, I'm really excited by the prospect of him putting on the shirt. I think he’s going to add a lot to our threat at the top end of the pitch, he’s very versatile, he likes to work the left side channels and cut in and get lots of shots in.
“He can also play down the middle. He’s got a little bit about him as well, which I always like in a player, a bit of character, a bit of nouse in terms of going about the game and effecting opposition defenders. So yes, really looking forward to working with him.
“He’s demanding of himself and demanding of his teammates as well, that’s been well documented and having done a bit of background work in terms of his character then that came through right from the outset that he is very demanding of himself and he will demand performances from his teammates which is the character that we want at this club."
When Mark was asked what he thought this move meant for Linney. he added: “I feel this is a step up for him, he’s going to a bigger club, with a bigger fan base so he’s really excited to engage with our fans because that’s a big part of how he gets himself going and gets the juices flowing. When he plays it’s that interaction with the crowd that he feeds off, so we’re really going to benefit from that."
With the new season coming up there are players who will be leaving the club and also new faces joining when Mark was asked about this, he stated: “Today we’ve been going through things, there is a process that we have to go through in terms of making sure that targets and players we’re looking at fit what we need. There are obviously budget requirements around that as well, so that all gets factored in, but I think the process in terms of how we go about our business is a lot more structured and as a consequence I think we will make fewer mistakes in the future.
“I have said and gone on record that we will carry fewer players this year. That means some players will probably leave. At the end of the season, it’s like a train, some will get on and some will get off, but that’s how it is in pre-season. We just have to make sure we get the right numbers, with the right quality at the top end of the pitch in terms of the playing 11. Then pack that with high quality players to supplement them and then we will be in a good position to have a decent season."
United will take part in a behind closed doors friendly against unconfirmed opposition on Saturday 12 July.
“It’s just a safety thing and we have to accept that. It would be great if we could open all the games but sometimes especially early in the season your working things out. You don’t really get a proper game; things are always changing and there are lots of substitutions. As a spectator it isn’t great but I get plenty of information and value from it because I’m looking at things and trying to get people up to speed."
During pre-season, the Blues will make the trip to South Wales as part of their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign.
"I think it’s important, like I said we’re trying to get people in the building so if we can get as many as we can before the season and before the trip that would be good in terms of building relationships and getting to know each other.
"Like I said the group will be smaller, we feel we will be able to make everyone feel that they’re part of what we are doing because sometimes moving forward with big numbers you have to disappoint players and leave players behind.
"There’s a demand from me, from the owners, from everyone, that you have to be fit enough to be able to do the job you’re asked to do. Clearly you have to be careful in pre-season as statistically you get more injuries in pre-season because everyone is trying to get back up to speed and soft tissue injuries are quite common in pre-season, but if they work in the right manner and at the right pace, we will be flying leading into the season and then it’s about pushing fitness levels throughout the season."
The Cumbrians will cover over 10,000 miles on the road next term, speaking on this, he stated: “I mean I am looking forward to it. There is a lot of travelling, but it’s not something we haven’t been exposed to before. We are looking forward to it, well I certainly am. There are a couple of grounds I haven’t been to so that will be interesting from a personal point of view so we will look forward to it."
On Truro, he continued: “That’s a long trip, we might have to have the weekend away just to break it up a bit but we will have to wait to see.:
Finally, on the supporters and current season ticket sales, Hughes said: "It’s fantastic, I mean we’re going to need that support. It’s a huge ask in this day and age, its not easy with the cost of living impacting everybody so for that amount of fans and hopefully a few more in the coming days, for them to put their hands in their pockets once again to support us like they do, it’s fantastic."
