Carlisle manager Paul Simpson has outlined how the Blues’ deadline-day signing of Cumbrians’ youngster Ryan Carr came about.
Carr (pictured above second left) was one of four players added to the development squad, the other three from the Republic of Ireland.
The 18-year-old central midfielder played his first and only senior game as a starter in Carlisle’s home Papa Johns Trophy tie with Fleetwood - which they won on penalties following a 1-1 draw - earlier in the season and was also been on the first-team bench on seven occasions.
Prior to joining Carlisle, Carr was with Newcastle United’s academy from their U11s to U16s.
"He’s a player who they asked us about in December,” Simpson told his club’s official website.
"They asked us if they could take him in for a week of training, which we allowed them to do. He wanted to go and take a look, so it was only fair to the boy.
"It’s a good football club and we were in a position where when you get a club like that showing, you’re vulnerable in that area.
"Ryan was at the end of his scholarship this year, he’d only been with us for two years and you look at the situation and, because of the rules of EPPP and compensation, we weren’t going to get a hell of a lot for him.
"We think he’s got a future and we’d have been delighted to keep him here. They’ve left it up until these last few days and then they came in over the weekend with an offer.
"We’ve tried to get an improvement, it’s a nominal fee, but it is actually more than we would have got had it gone to a tribunal in the summer.
"It’s a really tricky situation, and supporters may not like to hear it, but we have a problem when it comes to the academy players. We do have good ones and if they’re playing in our first team, where we can try and demand a bit more money, they’ve got us in a difficult situation.
"I’m really pleased for Ryan because he’s a great lad and I think he’s got a good future ahead of him. We have no holding area where we could have been playing him, so he’s playing U18 football with us and he’s not quite ready for the first team in my opinion.
"We had to make the decision to allow him to go and we wish him all the best. What I’m saying isn’t anything against Ipswich, it’s the rules. They’ve been very professional in how they’ve gone about it. That’s just the way it goes and we have to accept it as much as we might not like it.”
Simpson, who came close to joining Bobby Robson’s Blues during his playing days, says his club could receive further cash on top of the initial undisclosed fee.
"If he develops well there are different add-ons and clauses down the line,” he added. "That might come into it and a little sell-on and stuff lined up.
"It’s one of them where we just have to take it on the chin. We can't do anything about it. The rules state what you're going to get if it does happen, and we just have to wish him all the best.
"Since December, when we first had the interest, I was fearing it was going to happen. I've got no criticism of Ipswich, they did it properly and we've been fair with them and with Ryan as well.
"It's just the way the EPPP is and it's nothing you can do. And I think the EPPP is very good. I just think clubs like us, we have absolutely no power when it comes to situations like that and we just have to take any small pickings that we can get.”
Meanwhile, Cork City’s head of academy, Liam Kearney, has wished another of the quartet, Leon Ayinde (second right), well for the future.
"I am delighted for Leon,” he told the Leesiders’ official website. "It has been a pleasure to watch him develop his game over the last couple of years within our academy.
"He has exemplified what hard work and dedication can do for you. Leon has all the characteristics and traits to step up to the next level.
"We as an academy are very proud of our role in aiding his development as a person as well as a player and we wish him every success in the future.”
Daniel O’Connor (far right) and Michael Lavin (far left) were the other two Irish signings from Galway United and Sligo Rovers respectively.
Brexit means English clubs can no longer sign Irish youngsters at 15 or 16 as was previously the case, but can bring them in at 18.
Earlier in the window, Town signed Osman Foyo following his Norwich City departure, while Henry Curtis joined as a second-year scholar from the South London-based Kinetic Academy while also playing for Harrow Borough's U23s.
The 16-year-old central defender has penned a two-year pro deal in addition to his time as a scholar.