By Amanda Little

Last updated 10:49, Saturday, 28 June 2008

Carlisle United keeper Chris Howarth has warned boss John Ward he won’t tolerate another season on the bench.

Chris Howarth

Howarth spent the whole of last season in the shadows of regular No1 Keiren Westwood after joining United last summer from Bolton.

Westwood’s outstanding displays, which earned him 19 clean sheets, meant Howarth was unable to break into the first team.

Howarth is now preparing to battle for a place in the starting line-up in Carlisle’s opening game against Bristol Rovers on August 9 with new signing Ben Williams, who arrived on a free from Crewe this week as replacement for Westwood.

The 21-year-old former England youth international is desperate to win the nod – otherwise he could look elsewhere for first-team chances.

He said: “I want to fight for my place but if it doesn’t work out I would be thinking about looking elsewhere and maybe get a loan move. That’s definitely the worst-case scenario.

“I’m very positive about things and hopefully I will get a chance. I definitely don’t want another season in the bench. I sat there all season with Keiren doing well, although hopefully I pushed him and got the best out of him.

“I started off slowly when I first came here but by the end of the season I was doing well in the reserves.

“It was hard last season but I had a chat with the manager at the end of the season and he said that if Keiren left I would be in his thoughts.

“The manager kept my spirits up and told me to keep going and be ready if I got a chance if Keiren got injured.

“If I do well in pre-season and in training, I’ll get a fair crack of the whip.”

Howarth returns to pre-season training on Monday when he attends a week-long goalkeeping course in Stafford run by Northern Ireland and Bolton coach Fred Barber.

Then Howarth and the rest of the United squad report to training the following week in preparation for their opening pre-season friendly against Kendal Town on July 11.

n FORMER Carlisle striker Derek Holmes is on trial with St Johnstone.