RUSSELL Penn has admitted it was a "very hard" decision to leave York City, but felt he had little choice when Sky Bet League Two outfit Carlisle United offered him a two-year deal.

Having captained the Minstermen since his arrival from Cheltenham in January 2014, Penn made Jackie McNamara's retained list following the club's relegation to the National League last month.

But the 30-year-old midfielder admitted the chance to stay in the Football League proved too appealing to turn down.

He said: "I think, if the club had stayed in the League, I'd still be here and would have probably ended my career at York because I've absolutely loved my time with the club, aside from the results last season. I had a meeting with the gaffer straight after the season ended to talk about the plans for trying to get the club promoted back to the League.

"He then gave me time to think about things and understood that I had to do the right thing by my family and was hoping that would turn out to be staying at York, because that's where we want to be. But then I got a really good offer from Carlisle and that spoke for itself really.

"I wouldn't say it was a no brainer, because I have a lot of respect for the chairman (Jason McGill) and massively enjoyed working for the management staff, so it was a very hard decision but, for personal reasons, this was something I had to do and it gives us the chance to carry on living in York as well.

"You want to be loyal to clubs, but I hope people feel I have been with my performances over the last two-and-a-half years."

Penn helped City reach the 2014 League Two play-offs having been recruited by then manager Nigel Worthington midway through the season.

He now admits that the ex-Northern Ireland and Norwich manager's subsequent decision to resign two months into the following campaign was a personal blow that he feels ushered in a period of instability the Minstermen never recovered from.

"When I look at the whole picture, I signed for one reason and that was Nigel Worthington," Penn explained. "I had some good meetings with him and he was the biggest factor in me coming to the club, along with the chairman.

"But we've ended up having three managers, a caretaker and probably a turnover of players in the region of 60 and I think that's been quite sad really, although it happens at a lot of League Two clubs. Nigel was one of the best managers I have worked with in terms of his man-management but, maybe, it got to the point where he didn't think he could turn around the squad that he had built, but it was very disappointing for me when the manager I signed a two-and-a-half year deal for left."

Penn, meanwhile, has reasoned that recruitment will be vital to City's prospects next season and believes prior experience of National League football is invaluable.

Of City's six summer signings, Richard Brodie is a seasoned campaigner at the highest echelon of non-League football, but Ben Barber, Shaun Rooney and Jack Higgins have never played at the level, while Alex Whittle (seven appearances) and Ben Clappison (two) only have limited knowledge of the division.

"You'd like to see some more experienced players but, maybe, they will be coming in, because those are often the players who wait the longest to weigh up their situations," Penn pondered. "I believe it's vital in that division that you know the league.

"It's different to League Two and you need players who can mentally handle playing in front of 5,000 fans one week and then somewhere where there are only 300 the next. I really don't know how the club will fare next season because anything can happen in that league, but a lot will depend on recruitment being better than it has been in the past.

"Hopefully, players will also be brought in who are hungry and have a desire to do well for the club because, if you look at the teams promoted from that division over the last two seasons, they haven't been great football teams, but they have had great spirit.

"The gaffer has had a tough time and people don't really know what he's had to deal with, but he will be bringing in his own players now and will be getting them to work from his own notebook, so hopefully that will work for him. I'm certainly hoping to get down to cheer the lads on, as I know the Conference fixture programme is very hectic during the first few months of the season, so there should be the opportunity to do that."