Carlisle United's Woeful Season

The 2024/25 season marks 50 years since Carlisle United last played in the top flight, since then they have spent many years floating between the third and fourth tier, with one season in the non-league to their name 20 years ago. Their time in the football league is under extreme threat though, Carlisle currently sits rock bottom of League Two after 31 games played, with five wins and 19 losses to their name. The Blues hold the unwanted title of being the worst side in the top four divisions of England in the last 18 months with just 12 wins in the last season and a a half. Yet there is still hope in Cumbria, with new faces around the club, can Carlisle kick on and save themselves from back-to-back relegations before it is too late?

BREAKING: CARLISLE ARE PROMOTED TO LEAGUE ONE AFTER THEIR 5-4 WIN ON PENALTIES AGAINST STOCKPORT!! 🥳🙌 pic.twitter.com/67uVoGbaqC

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 28, 2023

American Takeover

In 2023 new horizons were sprung upon Carlisle when the Piatak family bought a 90% stake in the club. One of the latest English clubs to fall under US ownership, the Piatak family were prepared to invest in the side that had just received promotion to the third tier. The owners saw ‘untapped potential’ in the club and also had plans to revitalise Brunton Park, Carlisle's historic home since 1909 which can house over 17,000 people.

The Piataks came into the picture when the Cumbrians were 22nd in League One, and keeping them afloat in the division was always going to be a struggle, however, they would never have guessed that 16 months later the club would be stuck in the relegation zone of the division below. The takeover gave them a strong financial standing over the likes of fellow strugglers Morecambe, but no matter how much funding they have if they cannot fix their poor performances on the pitch results won’t change.

A strong team... on paper

The Blues have a strong squad that should be much higher in the league on paper, however, their top scorer is their centre half, Sam Lavelle, with four goals this season. The attacking pedigree of Charlie Wyke and Kadeem Harris has not been able to push the club towards the upper echelons of the table either. With just 23 goals in 32 games, Carlisle have predominantly relied on set pieces to create chances - hence their high-scoring defender - but a lack of creativity from open play is partnered with the joint-worst defence in the league, conceding 49 leaving them with a goal difference of -26.

Limbs. 😍

Your Man of the Match this afternoon, Sam Lavelle! https://t.co/QqyhJtNuHF pic.twitter.com/g8hDd3wR6W

— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) January 25, 2025

Their poor form going forward has left them with a figure of 0.06 goals per shot, the second-lowest in the division. With their forwards failing to produce, new signings have been required. Brunton Park has witnessed 19 new signings this season in a transfer carousel. This included eight in 2025 including former Premier League defender Paul Dummett and stealing Stephen Wearne and Cedwyn Scott off fellow League Two sides MK Dons and Notts County. Fresh faces were needed and if they can gel quickly the Cumbrians can turn their season around, as they are just six points from safety with 14 games to play.

New Manager & Signings

The biggest signing of January was the appointment of Mark Hughes, poor performances on the pitch were only half of the story as both of Carlisle’s previous managers in the 2024/25 season have not been able to motivate their players to score and win. By appointing Mark Hughes they now have a manager with over 25 years of experience at the helm, managing the likes of Wales as well as six clubs in the Premier League. Most recently he has taken a step back from the top flight and opted to manage in the fourth tier as he did so with Bradford City.

🤝 Carlisle United Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Hughes as the club’s new head coach.

Read more. ⤵️

— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) February 6, 2025

Hughes’ first three games in charge have ended in two narrow single-goal defeats away from home, as well as a 0-0 draw with Colchester at Brunton Park. That clean sheet was their first in 10 league games, showing signs of improvement under Hughes already. Carlisle are a hugely historic club, with a massive fanbase due to the city being the largest settlement in the county of Cumbria, and for many years the only Cumbrian team in the football league until Barrow entered the EFL in 2020. The club are also the closest professional football team to the Scottish border, an extra aspect of history. It would be a huge shame to see the Blues leave the football league for just the second time in 96 years, if they are to survive they will need to start scoring imminently. So can Mark Hughes pull off possibly the biggest challenge of his managerial career yet?