Hartlepool United defender Gary Liddle reflects on time at Carlisle United ahead of League Two clash at Victoria Park

After comfortably seeing off Walsall with a 2-0 win at Victoria Park last weekend, the 35-year-old will be hoping to help Pools do the same when Carlisle United visit this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Liddle made 117 appearances for The Cumbrians between 2017 and 2019 and is hoping for a slightly warmer reception from the travelling supporters compared to his previous outing.

Roughly 1,000 Carlisle fans are expected to be in attendance at Victoria Park.

“I hope I’ll get a better reception this weekend [compared to Walsall],” Liddle told The Mail. “Having spent two years there and playing over 100 games for Carlisle.

"I had a difficult start to my time there actually but I like to think I won the supporters around a little bit. I was lucky enough to play almost every game for the club while I was there and I really enjoyed my time at Carlisle.

"It was a good group of lads although not many of them are left from when I was there but behind the scenes it’s a good club, a good family club and reminds me a lot of Pools in certain ways.

"From my time at Carlisle, they’ve always travelled well. They were always well backed home and away so it’s nothing less than I expect from them.

"We’re at home and we have a very good record at home but in League Two every game brings its own challenges.

"Having watched their game against Leyton Orient, I can’t see any real weaknesses in them, they’re just a strong outfit where every individual knows their jobs. It will be a tough game and we’ll have to implement our game plan effectively and hopefully come out on the right side of the result again.”

Pools have won 16 of their last 18 home matches at Victoria Park and boast the best home record in England in 2021. It has helped the club get off to a solid start to life back in League Two.

“We’d certainly have taken what we’ve done so far, six points after three games,” Liddle added.

"As disappointing as the Barrow game was. There’s plenty of room for improvement too and come to realise particularly in the Barrow game that if you make mistakes in this league you will get punished for them a lot more often than you would in the National League.

"We’ve had a good start at home and another home game on Saturday where we’ll be looking to improve upon that.”

It’s been nine years since Pools beat Carlisle in a competitive match – a 4-0 win at Victoria Park. Liddle played for Pools in that game although it was actually that season’s reverse fixture, a 2-1 win that stands out in the defender’s mind.

“I don’t remember much about the 4-0 win but I remember playing in the away game not long before that,” Liddle recalled.

"That was the game I scored and hit the bar too. I was watching the highlights of that game yesterday and it was nice to have a reminder that my left foot is not just for standing on!”

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