Carlisle sign Back on loan after ‘weeks of badgering’

NOTTINGHAM Forest starlet Fin Back has joined Carlisle United on a season-long loan.

Back, 19, started three league games last season as the Reds earned promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.

The wing-back spent the majority of last season with Forest’s under-23s as Andy Reid’s men finished fourth in the Premier League 2 Division 2. Back assisted five goals throughout the season and was an instrumental part of Reid’s squad.

Now, after the arrival of Neco Williams from Liverpool, Back will continue his development on loan in League Two under former England Under-20s manager Paul Simpson.

Speaking to United’s official website, Simpson talked highly of the Reds academy graduate, saying: “He’s a player we identified a number of weeks ago.

“He’s been in and around the Forest team through the first part of their pre-season, so we’ve had to wait patiently for it to finally get agreed.

“I think my friendship with Steve Cooper has certainly helped us, so I’ve been able to talk to him and Greg [Abbott] has taken it up from there.

“Greg has badgered the life out of them over the last couple of weeks to finally get it done and I’m delighted he’s here because I think he’ll really improve the group.”

“He’s a player who is really keen to be involved in first-team football,” he added. “He’s got loads of energy and a fantastic attitude. I’m looking forward to seeing him go up and down the line as a right wing-back for us. He can play at right-back and in midfield as well, but my first thought is to see him in the wing-back role.

“I know Forest think really highly of him and, having had quite a few conversations with him, he seems a really good personality.

“He’s desperate to make a successful career in football for himself and he was very close to being involved down at Forest.”