Carlisle United are delighted to announce that Callum Guy has today penned an 18-month permanent deal [with an option] which keeps him at Brunton Park until the summer of 2021.

Guy, 23, described as a box-to-box midfielder, started his career with Derby County where he quickly became a regular in the club’s under-23 side.

He had loan spells with Port Vale and Bradford whilst with the Rams, where he gained vital league experience, then spent the first half of the 2018/19 campaign at Bloomfield Road, where he made 21 appearances.

His performances secured him a permanent move and he made just under 50 appearances for the Tangerines, including 22 through the first half of the current season.

Head coach Chris Beech said: “This is a marquee signing for us in my opinion. We’re getting a lad who learned his trade at a top academy through his schoolboy life with Derby County. He was very highly thought of there and that eventually led to the move to Blackpool.

“He knows Max Hunt from Derby and he also knows Nick Anderton from Blackpool, which is good because that gives him connections and familiar faces at his new club. He has the experience of two loan spells in League One which have helped him to develop as a footballer and a person.

“With the move to Blackpool it means he hasn’t yet played at this level, he’s always been one step up, but he’s more than ready for it.”

On what we can expect to see from him, he added: “As a player, he gets about the pitch and he’s a fully energised and hard-working footballer. We’re getting him at the right age because he’s full of ambition and he has a real desire to do well.

“I’m really pleased we’ve got him because he’s part of that strategic recruitment activity we talked about the other day. We’ve brought him in for a reason, not just because he happens to be available.

“On the pitch he has old characteristics about his game, which I like to see in modern-day footballers. He has different attributes to those we have here already, so he’ll definitely add to the squad. It helps to create that competitive environment we all want, and the fans will see him cover every blade of grass out on the pitch.

“I know from speaking to him that he wants to improve his goal scoring traits, which I want to work with him on, but in terms of getting the ball back, wanting to compete and wanting to win, he brings all of that to the table.”

“With all of the new arrivals it’s not about individuals, it’s about the squad,” he commented. “It’s about having a very competitive environment and we’ll hopefully eventually end up at a place where we have two players for each position from an outfield perspective.

“I know sometimes numbers in squads can get up to the mid-twenties, but you have to create a real competitive edge in first team football. If you can get players fighting for each position you’re suddenly in a strong place because there are a lot of variables which can happen within a season, be that injuries, loss of form, suspensions or whatever.”

“Callum takes us another step towards that and in my opinion getting him here is a massive signing for us. It’s brilliant for me and us that he’s committing to the long-term project with us and I’m really thankful that the football club have been able to support me in what it is I’m working towards.

“It’s been good work from us all, from David, the board and the club, for us to get this over line. For my part of it, I’ve been really old fashioned in my approach in that I’ve gone the extra mile in meeting players in person.

“By doing that I can make sure they know what I’m after and what I can give them, and I can also outline what it is the project here is all about. Ultimately all of it is about winning games regularly and Callum will help us do that. I’ve told him that I want him to progress quickly, get in the team quickly and score and create goals, and I can tell it’s a challenge he’s looking forward to.”

This deal remains subject to the clearance of all necessary paperwork.