Carlisle Futsal Club can today reveal the second player to join the Club ahead of the transfer deadline of 31st January. Wetheriggs FC defender Michael Yarker has made impressive progress since joining up with the Clubs National League Squads training sessions in the last month.
The 24-year-old Penrith based player is well known in local football for being a creative defender. He featured for Penrith AFC against Carlisle United in pre-season and was given the unenviable task of marking their Football League marksmen Billy Painter. This wasnt the first time he has competed against Carlisle Utd having previously kept hotshot Francois Zoko quiet.
But Yarker is the first to admit Futsal is new to him ‘The first training session was a bit of a shock. I had been invited by Club goalkeeper Andy Wills and was expecting a game of 5-a-side. Its fair to say it was nothing like 5’s and its taken me a few weeks up to get up to the speed at which the lads play, the movements and the patterns but I’m definitely getting used to it now. I’m pleased that the coaching staff have seen enough to offer me this opportunity.’
First team coach Neil Walker is pleased to be able to work with Yarker ‘We travel to Hull this Sunday (25th January 2015) and having Mike involved will without a doubt enhance our options. He has a presence on court. He has already begun to dominate in training sessions as a backman, his decision making is good particularly on the ball. But the most encouraging thing for us as a coaching staff is the rate at which he has picked up the principals of Futsal. He is demonstrating an intelligence which is required to play the game at the highest level.’
Yarker becomes the Clubs second signing of the season following the arrival of Penrith AFC youngster and County Captain Jordan Little. The Club continues to search County wide and North of the border for the best Futsal talent available with the National league squad now boasting six non-carlisle based players Scott Mackain (Edinburgh), Jordan Little (Cleator Moor), Mike Yarker and Andy Wills (Penrith), Gav Mitchell and Jon Reay (Gretna).
The Club are still looking to finalise the paperwork on 3 other signings before the week is out.
