Last updated 13:28, Wednesday, 11 June 2008

Football fans hate false promises.

We’ve heard them all before and now we’re all a bit cynical when managers or players come out with over-inflated predictions on how their team is going to win the title.

It sets teams up for failure and most sensible managers know it’s best to keep their mouths shut rather than risk raising expectations and then ending up with the sack when they fail to deliver.

No one could ever accuse John Ward of that. He’s more likely to play down his team’s chances and preach caution and realism.

Sometimes though it does make you wonder if anyone within Carlisle United ever gets themselves excited about anything.

The team has just finished a season which ended in what can only be described as glorious failure, will be better for the experience of missing out on promotion via the play-offs and are brilliantly poised for another shot at promotion this season.

And yet there have been no rallying calls to excite supporters about the coming season to encourage them to snap up season tickets, thereby swelling the Brunton Park coffers.

Instead, they’re told the club isn’t prepared to break the bank to extend star keeper Keiren Westwood’s contract and transfer fees are unlikely to be spent to bolster the team that agonisingly missed out on a place in the Championship.

Hardly enough to have them queuing round the block next month to buy season tickets.

There have been no public relations exercises to actively promote season ticket sales or wheeling out star players to encourage fans to dig deep and get behind their team.

It’s all a bit underwhelming considering the success of the last few seasons.

Supporters don’t need to be promised the world, but surely United could stir up some pre-season excitement.