Carlisle Boss Wary Of Owls Threat

Carlisle United boss Gary Abbott insists Wednesday’s off-the-field problems this week will have no impact on Saturday’s crucial league encounter between the sides this weekend.

Wednesday were just 24-hours away from going into administration before their bank, the Co-op Bank, stepped in to help out with an unpaid tax bill believed to be around £1.1 million.

But Abbott, who brings his Carlisle side to Hillsborough in an early season top-of-the-table clash, believes the financial problems will be left off the field come 3pm on Saturday.

‘It won`t be on the players` minds,’ Abbott told the Times & Star.

‘It is a boardroom-level problem. Players can only do what they can do, which is try and win football matches.

‘It wont make life any easier for us, that`s for sure. It is insignificant to the players, and I don`t think it will affect their performance one way or the other.”

The Cumbrians have made a superb start to the npower League One season, sitting in second in the table behind Alan Irvine’s men after the first few weeks.

And avoiding defeat in South Yorkshire this season would top off the fine start for Abbott and his men.

He continued: “If we come away from there unscathed, it would mean we have done really well from a start that is as tough as it gets.

“That is the incentive for the players. They want to stay at the top of the table. After five games they deserve to be there and we want to keep that going.”