Plans for St Cuthbert's Garden Village include 10,000 houses and will take decades to complete A six-week consultation on plans for a village of 10,000 new homes is coming to an end Construction of St Cuthbert's Garden Village is expected to span 30 to 40 years and will include houses A draft plan for the project was approved by Cumberland Council earlier this year and those wishing to comment have until 17:00 BST on 6 May Councillor Bob Kelly said it was a "large-scale and complex" plan and the authority wanted to know whether it had "got it right" before it went to the government The council said it was the last chance to comment on the draft policies and the map of the village executive member for policy and regulatory services said: "Given its scale and complexity the village isn't something that can be delivered overnight delivering the Carlisle Southern Link Road to unlock St Cuthbert's was the first major stepping stone and we are now well on the way with its construction "Our consultation is an opportunity for anyone with an interest to tell us whether or not we have got it right." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, external, Facebook, external, Nextdoor and Instagram, external. Do you have a story suggestion for BBC Cumbria? Contact formContact formRelated topicsUrban planning Carlisle CumbriaMore on this storyNew 10,000 home garden village 'longer-term plan' Garden village plan gets £100m road cash Link road hits milestone as bridge beams installed Related internet links St Cuthbert's Local Plan Emergency services warn public to stay away from water if they've consumed alcohol Building firm boss caught drug driving 'baffled by cocaine found in his system' Man to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm Woman in possession of fighting dog breed to be sentenced Detached house goes on the market in West Cumbrian town for £225,000 'They gave their tomorrows for our today' - VE Day exhibition in West Cumbria Information about BBC links to other news sitesTop storiesLive. King salutes military procession as royals lead events marking 80 years since VE Day Red Arrows, royals and street parties: What to look out for on VE Day at 80 Israel security cabinet approves plan to 'capture' Gaza, official says Custom fireworks and standby firefighters: How the Vatican makes its smoke signal Long-distance romance and closure from husband's death - your memories of Skype Parking chaos and poo: The price of Mam Tor's fame Polygamy and pageantry on display at a mass wedding in South Africa How Katy Perry became the Hot and Cold popstar Teen mental health: When to seek help and what parents can do Politics Essential: Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived Louis Theroux visits the West Bank to meet Israeli settlers Mark Hughes' Carlisle took a two-goal lead within 17 minutes through tidy finishes from Stephen Wearne and Matty Dennis Salford pulled a goal back before the break through top scorer Cole Stockton and Hakeeb Adelakun equalised but it was not enough to secure a play-off spot due to results elsewhere The Ammies had the first major chance but Gabe Breeze made an excellent stop early on to keep out a Stockton shot after some fluid attacking play from the visitors The Cumbrians then took the lead in the 16th minute through a lovely Wearne finish after he met a Sean Fusire pull-back and calmly slotted home A minute later Dennis doubled the hosts' lead as he tapped home a good cross from Blues full-back Jack Ellis Salford pulled a goal back in the 36th minute when Stockton powerfully headed home from a Ben Woodburn free-kick The visitors equalised just after the hour mark with a neat finish from Adelakun after a flick back from Kelly N'Mai Georgie Kelly had an excellent chance to secure the win for the hosts late on but Matthew Young produced a great stop to deny the Irishman To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Yellow Card at 90 minutes plus 3Substituteshome team Yellow Card at 90 minutes plus 3SubstitutesNumber 26 Watson Match OfficialsReferee: Simon MatherAssistant Referee 1: Johnathon BickerdikeAssistant Referee 2: Adam NicholeFourth Official: Scott JacksonMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightCarlisle United are winless across their last five home league games against sides from Greater Manchester (D3 L2) conceding 2+ goals in four of those matches Salford City have won just two of their eight league games against Carlisle United (D2 L4) though did win on their last visit to Brunton Park 3-2 in April 2023 Carlisle have failed to win any of their last six final day games of a league campaign (D4 L2) going down 2-0 at Pride Park vs Derby County last season in League One Salford have only finished one of their five prior League Two campaigns with an away fixture Georgie Kelly (Carlisle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul Curtis Tilt (Salford City) wins a free kick in the defensive half Haji Mnoga (Salford City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close Assisted by Tyrese Fornah following a corner Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time Callum Guy (Carlisle United) wins a free kick on the left wing Georgie Kelly (Carlisle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner Win Happy PremiumSearch Rayo greatest hits cumbria newsNine people arrested in Carlisle drug supply operationAuthor: Tom FeahenyPublished 4th May 2025Nine arrests have been made by Cumbria police in an operation to tackle drug supply. More than half-a-million pounds of cash as well as cocaine... ketamine and cannabis were seized. Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey said: “Operation Huelva, is the fourth policing operation we have carried out this year to target criminals involved in illicit drugs. “This operation targeted activities within Carlisle and aimed to disrupt, prevent and target those who supply drugs in our communities. “The work falls under the umbrella of Cumbria Constabulary’s overarching response to serious and organised crime – Operation Alliance. “As part of this operation officers carried out several warrants to target criminals. We also had officers out in the city centre visiting pubs and clubs and providing a visible presence to disrupt criminal behaviour. but was proud of the fans and staff for all the support they have given the team all season halving the deficit before the break through a powerful header by Cole Stockton then an accurately placed shot by Hakeeb Adelakun in the second half However it was not enough to see the side into the play-offs as Salford finished eighth in the final league standings “You were just hoping that history was going to repeat itself with that last minute goal and make it 3-2 One thing you can say is that every single one of us has put our heart and soul into this season “My players have given me everything With all that has gone against us and still we stand here with you very close at the end [to the play-offs] “I can’t ask anymore from the fans supporting this football club and the owners as well Everybody behind the scenes has given us the opportunity to be successful I’ll never forget the moment on Tuesday night that we got beat and the fans were still singing the players\' names We\'ve drawn away games and been beat and the fans are still there and have never left our side “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we apologise for not giving you the end of the season that everyone really wanted.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Jess HopkinsPublished: Invalid Date CLASS of 92-owned Salford City's promotion hopes were ended by a familiar face as they failed to beat relegated Carlisle United Former Manchester United player Mark Hughes' side went 2-0 up in 17 minutes, forcing visitors Salford to mount a comeback that they couldn't quite complete This meant the Manchester team finished the day one point away from Chesterfield who beat Accrington Stanley away from home to claim the final play-off spot in League Two Goals from Salford's Cole Stockton and Hakeeb Adelakun cancelled out Carlisle's Stephen Wearne and Matthew Dennis But it could have been worse as Matty Young managed to force a brilliant save to deny the hosts late on Carlisle were relegated before the game kicked off with Hughes who joined on a rolling contract in February Hughes has said, despite managing Premier League clubs previously, that he is open to following his team down to the National League. The Welshman said: "I have no ego. This has been a tough challenge but one I'd still be up for, so we'll see." He took charge with 18 games to go and five points adrift at the bottom of League Two. But after winning three-in-a-row towards the end of the season he could be the man to bring them back Since being taken over by former Manchester United players Nicky Butt, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in 2014 Salford have gone from strength to strength the club climbed to the fourth tier from the eighth in only five years The draw today will add to Salford's stalling progress as they are forced to wait another season to reach League One Jess HopkinsPublished: Invalid Date MANCHESTER UNITED legend Mark Hughes is in talks over a new contract and is open to managing in the fifth tier who were relegated to the National League after a defeat at Cheltenham Town last Saturday SunSport exclusively revealed in April that Hughes would be open to sticking with Carlisle in the fifth tier He told BBC Radio Cumbria this week that conversations were ongoing. The Welshman replaced Mike Williamson in February on a rolling contract with aims to save Carlisle from the bottom League Two He said: "Just because I played for United and managed clubs like Manchester City doesn't mean being in charge of a National League team would somehow be beneath me." He won the same number of matches in his 18 in charge as Carlisle did in their 32 games previous this season. The 23rd-placed club are also the only one in the bottom three to have won in the final five games of the season, after triumphing twice in a row in that period. Carlisle is Wrexham-born Hughes' ninth managerial stint, having bossed clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and most recently Bradford His love for the role is not restricted to higher league success despite being a two-time Premier League winner as a Manchester United player "I showed how much I still love being a manager by going to Bradford," he said "When you've been a manager as long as I have you just miss that buzz of standing on the touchline at three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon." In a press conference ahead of Carlisle's final game of the season Hughes indicated that he thinks a decision will happen "sooner rather than later." The Cumbrians ended their season with a hard-fought 2-2 home draw to Salford City Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Salford City narrowly missed out on the playoffs following a 2-2 draw away to Carlisle Cole Stockton and Hakeeb Adelakun’s goals weren’t enough as the Ammies season ended on the road It was Salford who got us underway at Brunton Park, kicking off their final league match of the season. In the opening stages, Carlisle emerged with a few chances to take the lead but failed to trouble keeper Matthew Young. Ossama Ashley went down in the opening five minutes, grasping onto his leg. The Midfielder played through the pain but was eventually replaced by Lewis Warrington. Salford was presented with a great chance to take the lead following a Hakeeb Adelakun ball towards the back post. The attacker’s driven ball met Cole Stockton at the back stick who failed to capitalise thanks to some impressive keeping from Gabe Breeze. Though their fate of relegation was already confirmed, Carlisle wasn’t prepared to lie down and hand over the win. Sean Fusire danced down the right flank. The Sheffield Wednesday loanee cut back just before the by-line, playing a cross-goal pass to the feet of Stephen Wearne who fired home the opener. Just minutes later, the Cumbrians had a second. Once again Salford was caught on the right. Jack Ellis found himself in an almost identical position to Fusire. His delivery found Mathew Dennis, who doubled the hosts lead, leaving the away end stunned in silence. The pressure was starting to get to Salford. An aggressive approach from the jump left players restless as their playoff ambitions edged further away. A lifeline was presented however as Salford was awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. Ben Woodburn stepped over the set piece. He curled the dead ball towards the front post. Reacting fastest was Stockton, who thumped his head towards the ball, which flew into the back netting. The traveling fans came back into voice as the Salford players charged back to the center circle. Salford piled on the pressure towards the back end of the half. Numerous chances emerged but none were capitalised on and the Ammies entered the break trailing by a single goal. Emerging from the interval saw Salford replace Luke Garbutt with Josh Austerfield. Salford started the half-hot. Kelly N’Mai played Woodburn through on goal. The midfielder’s shot was struck well but failed to beat an agile Breeze. The hosts had a chance to kill the game off just before the hour mark. Captain Curtis Tilt put his body on the line to block a Carlisle shot. His effort prevented what would’ve been a curtain goal. The visitors were building, and eventually, they had their equaliser. Adelakun carried the ball on the left. He found N’Mai in the box who played a give and go back to the attacker. Adelakun elected to shoot towards the near post of Breeze catching the keeper off guard, and clawing Salford back into the match. As the clock dwindled, Salford just couldn’t find a way through the Carlisle backline. After five minutes of additional time, the referee called an end to the contest. Players dropped to the ground, heartbroken over the result. For the final time this season, the Salford faithful serenaded the players and coaches off as they left Cumbria with just the point. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Salford Now is your local source of news, sport and entertainment from around Salford – produced by students from The University of Salford’s Journalism Department. Got a story? We’d love to hear from you. Please call the Salford Now editor on 0161 295 2220 if you have a story or query. You can also contact us at now@salford.ac.uk or DM one of our social media accounts, linked to at the bottom of every page. Salford Now is run for educational purposes and is not a commercial website. The University of Salford denies any responsibility for and / or knowledge of content on this website. Mark Hughes has taken 20 points from 17 games with Carlisle Mark Hughes says conversations are ongoing about whether he stays on as Carlisle United head coach for next season Carlisle's relegation to the National League was confirmed last Saturday after defeat at Cheltenham Town On Monday the club's sporting director, Rob Clarkson, left his post with immediate effect Deciding Hughes' future is now one of the main priorities for the Piatak family "There are lots of conversations going on - not only with me but with players to get a real understanding of what happened this year," Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria If there's a will on all sides to do it Hughes was brought to Brunton Park in February after Mike Williamson was sacked with Carlisle five points from safety and 18 games remaining But the Welshman was unable to pull them out of trouble with their best run of form - 10 points from four games - arriving when it was almost too late While disappointed he could not do what he was brought in for says he has enjoyed his time in Cumbria and is open to dropping down into the fifth tier "It's been difficult and we and I haven't achieved what we set out to do," he added "But I've really enjoyed my time here I've had a fantastic welcome from everyone in Carlisle "That part of it I've really enjoyed and just being on the touchline and having the opportunity to manage a team through difficult games and difficult circumstances "That's what I miss when I'm out of the game." Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool & 'expected to join' Real Madrid - reaction and updates Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool at end of season Watch World Snooker Championship final: Zhao resumes 11-6 up on Williams John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Palmer's brilliance could be key moment in Chelsea's Champions League quest Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Still number one & 'sparring' with Draper - return of Sinner Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages How Bournemouth turned tables on set-piece specialists Arsenal VideoHow Bournemouth turned tables on set-piece specialists Arsenal Vardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer 'Pretty special' - Leeds and Burnley's fight for Championship title Match-fixing scandal to Crucible final - fall and rise of Zhao Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show 'Painful but we'll be back' - Luton's rise and fall 'Balls all over the Crucible floor' as pocket breaks during semi-final Video'Balls all over the Crucible floor' as pocket breaks during semi-final Two opposing views on football's transgender ban Varsho makes 'crazy' behind-the-back catch VideoVarsho makes 'crazy' behind-the-back catch where they will face off with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavaliers won 64 games during the regular season but they also could serve as a tough matchup for the Pacers More Pacers News: Biggest X-Factors For Pacers Entering Series vs Cavaliers A lot of their offense runs through Pascal Siakam and a lot of their defense relies on Myles Turner and Siakam so the Cavaliers' frontcourt will be a tough matchup for the Pacers Rick Carlisle discussed the Cavs in more detail with the media in an article from Dustin Dopirak "They've been dominant from the East all year," Carlisle said they're as precise as any team in the league The preparation has to be very detailed and very precise The bigs being solid playmakers is what makes the Cavaliers offense unique They have good playmaking guards in Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell but also have solid playmakers throughout the rest of the roster They also have versatile defenders in the frontcourt and good depth off the bench which makes them feel like a well-oiled machine on both ends of the court They showed that by taking down the Miami Heat in dominant fashion in the first round in a clean sweep Carlisle is right that the task will be daunting They have smaller guards who Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard can potentially take advantage of on the offensive end The Pacers also have good depth off the bench More Pacers News: Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin Breaks Silence on Giannis Antetokounmpo Fight so one could say the team is a lesser version of the Cavs that doesn't mean they don't have a chance to win the series If Haliburton and Siakam show up and play at their best an argument can be made that the Pacers have better top-end talent the Cavs really only have Donovan Mitchell but have quite a few elite role players around him that made them a great regular season team While the Pacers do have a daunting task in front of them it seems like they have an underrated chance to win the series if Rick Carlisle can figure out a way to counter the versatility of the Cavaliers Cavaliers Head Coach Kenny Atkinson Compares Pacers to Celtics Ahead of Playoff Series Fans React to NBA Players Voting Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Most Overrated Tyrese Haliburton Credits Pacers Fans For Making Bucks Uncomfortable Breaking Down Potential Pacers, Cavaliers Matchup For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER After defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round the Pacers faced Cavaliers in Game 1 of the second round series the NBA announced a historic feat regarding Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. "Congrats to Rick Carlisle of the @Pacers for moving into 14th on the all-time playoff COACHING WINS list!" posted the official social media account of the NBA. Carlisle is now No. 14 on the all-time playoff coaching wins list. He boasts 76 wins in his coaching career, passing NBA legend Chuck Daly posted 75 wins, most of which came during his time with the Detroit Pistons as well as three-time NBA Coach of the Year Don Nelson The following coaches are currently ranked ahead of Carlisle in the all-time playoff coaching wins: Rick Adelman, Lenny Wilkens, George Karl, K.C. Jones, Jerry Sloan, Red Auerbach, Larry Brown, Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, Doc Rivers Jackson ranked No. 1 on the all-time playoff coaching wins with 229 victories, most of which came during his time with the Chicago Bulls that had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the roster Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle In Rick Carlisle's most recent victory in the playoffs, the Pacers were led by Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard with 23 points and six assists the Indiana Pacers will be back on the court on Tuesday set to face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player DJ Gok Wan and McFly’s Dougie Poynter have been added to the line-up for this year’s Carlisle Weekender Gabrielle and Tinchy Stryder on Saturday June 7 at the event at Brunton Park Gok Wan is amongst the most respected and renowned personalities across media has channelled his passion for music by delving into the world of DJing best known as a legendary member of the pop-rock band McFly will take over the decks for a DJ set packed with pop-punk and rock anthems from the King of the Jungle said: “It’s fantastic to add Gok Wan and Dougie Poynter to the Carlisle Weekender line-up Their signature DJ sets will add something special to the event creating an electric atmosphere and elevating what’s already shaping up to be an incredible day of live music.” Creative director of Carlisle Weekender for Carlisle United FC added: “Their performances will bring even more variety and energy to what’s shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend of music Craig David, Sigala and Wes Nelson will headline the Carlisle Weekender on June 6 as part of the Craig David Presents TS5 show. starting from £45 with pay-in-three options are on sale now and available via Carlisle United’s website Carlisle Weekender is a new weekend of live music hosted at Brunton Park Stadium Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox *We hate spam as much as you do. Privacy Statement Phone: 01768 862313Email: admin@cumbriacrack.com Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited No: 12475190VAT registration number: 343486488 © 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. when the Ammies take on Carlisle United in Sky Bet League Two (KO 15.00) The Ammies head into game 46 of the league campaign knowing that a win on Saturday would guarantee a spot in the play-offs that play-off place has not yet been secured and high concentration levels will be needed if Salford are to succeed this weekend our approach has been to over-emphasise that we still have a job to do We have been chasing the pack for the last few weeks and now we’re in there it is all about keeping that level of performance and keeping the consistency levels up at training “When it comes to this stage of the season when you have got stuff to play for you don’t need to say much because the lads know themselves of the importance of these games and making sure that they are in the best physical condition "The one message that we have been saying all week though is that while Carlisle may have been relegated a professional football match is never easy professional football players want to win matches they will want to spoil the chances of us getting into the play-offs and to concentrate on the job in hand.” The Ammies make their way up to Cumbria this weekend following an excellent 4-1 win over fellow play-off chasers Colchester United last Saturday at the Peninsula Stadium a result which now means Salford have lost just one of their last nine matches played Salford’s form away from Moor Lane also remains strong with the Ammies having won four and drawn two in their last six matches played on their travels the last time these two sides met one another was back in November for the reverse fixture at the Peninsula Stadium when an 88th minute goal from Carlisle substitute Ben Barclay gave the visitors all three points that afternoon Since that positive result for the Cumbrians there has been a change of manager at the club with Mark Hughes replacing Mike Williamson in February Despite a recent unbeaten run for our hosts in the league Carlisle had their relegation from the Football League confirmed last weekend following a 3-2 defeat at Cheltenham Town. Mark Hughes’ side were four games without defeat including three wins Carlisle are also currently four games undefeated at home including a 3-2 win over title-chasing Port Vale in their previous match played at Brunton Park The two clubs have now met on eight occasions since the Ammies won promotion to League Two in 2019 with Carlisle leading the head-to-head with four victories to Salford’s two One of those wins for Salford though did occur the last time we visited Carlisle back in April 2023 in a fixture which also had play-off ramifications at the time That day Neil Wood’s Ammies all-but guaranteed a place in the 2022-23 play-offs thanks to a dramatic 3-2 win in Cumbria with Luke Bolton scoring the winner in the 88th minute Karl Robinson was boosted by the returns of Curtis Tilt Conor McAleny and Liam Shephard last weekend after suspension and injuries Kylian Kouassi and Frankie Okoronkwo are unavailable to the Ammies We already have one of our highest away followings in League Two heading up to Brunton Park and you can still join that number with admission available on the day at the away ticket office *You can purchase a maximum of 2 Family Junior tickets per Adult ticket or 1 Family Junior ticket per Senior ticket Any Junior tickets purchased above this limit are charged at the relevant full Junior price **Juniors under 14 must be accompanied by a responsible parent/guardian over 18 there are a number of ways you can keep up with the game from afar.. Club commentary is available via SCFC TV for £2.50 and if you are outside of the UK and Ireland you can watch a stream of the game for £10 on SCFC TV Match and commentary passes can be purchased online then once bought you can either watch it through the website or download and login to our official mobile app to watch or listen on there The match has been selected for full coverage on BBC Radio Manchester where former winger Josh Morris will be a guest Curtis Tilt and Karl Robinson in the build-up We will also have regular text updates in the match centre from kick-off Some cookies are essential to make our website work we'd like to set other cookies to show us how our website is being used and we are working towards the route reopening in June 2025 once the new structure is surfaced This may be under traffic light control initially but there will be a direct route between Durdar and Stoneraise School. We appreciate your patience whilst the road has been closed so our partners and teams can complete the work safely We can confirm that while the Burthwaite Road will be closing it won’t close until the Ivegill Road has reopened and we are ready to commence works on the Burthwaite Road so there may be a short period when both routes are open We expect the closure of the Burthwaite Road to commence on the 23 June 2025 The closure is required to allow our contractors to safely complete the work at Redcat Roundabout and will take at least two months to complete Further updates and a confirmed reopening date will be provided in due course The signed diversion route will make use of the newly reopened Ivegill Road We thank all residents and road users for their ongoing cooperation during these necessary works. If you have any queries, please email carlislesouthernlinkroad@cumberland.gov.uk Subscribe today and we'll email you the latest newsletter updates about your new council Choose from a range of topics so that you only receive emails about the areas and services which interest you the most Subscribe to news updates New Help improve this site by giving feedback Mike Williamson and Mark Hughes have signed 26 players and used 42 in League Two this season A club with a passionate fanbase and a strong foothold in its local community with definite opportunity for growth Carlisle United share many similarities with Wrexham and were an attractive proposition for the Florida-based Piatak family to take over the club in November 2023 After relegation from League One 12 months ago the expectation was to challenge for an immediate return Throw in a World Cup winner and local hero one of the biggest budgets in League Two and the sixth biggest crowds Yet, after losing at Cheltenham Town on Saturday, Carlisle were relegated to the National League with one game of the season still to play Carlisle have lost 54 of their 91 league games It is less than two years since Carlisle had the greatest day in their recent history when they won promotion to League One by beating Stockport County in the League Two play-off final at Wembley and further cemented manager Paul Simpson's status as a local hero back for his second spell in charge and adding a third promotion to the honours list who were competing in the third tier with a budget befitting the bottom half of League Two the Blues were relegated with a club-record low of 30 points after winning only seven games in the worst season in the club's history the Piataks had come in guaranteeing investment and with big future plans as they got used to the workings of English football Simpson had survived relegation and was given the close season to rebuild, overseeing 12 new arrivals as the owners anticipated an immediate return to League One. Inside wisdom suggested the man who guided England Under-20s to success in the World Cup in 2017 would be given 10 games to show he could mount a promotion challenge Three losses out of those games - including heavy defeats on the road at Gillingham and pertinently at MK Dons - saw him leave his job on 31 August the day after the transfer window had closed Under caretaker boss Mark Birch, two more games were lost, but owner Tom Piatak said promotion was still achievable, shortly before announcing Mike Williamson as the new head coach with the club languishing in 22nd The hierarchy were keen on the team developing a possession-based style and had been impressed by Williamson's MK Dons side in that 3-0 defeat in August Carlisle won once at Brunton Park between 17 August and 22 March The former Newcastle United defender won his first game in charge at Swindon Town He failed to win over the Brunton Park crowd who were not impressed by his switch to three at the back and the team's slow the fans made up their mind during the Boxing Day home loss to bottom club Morecambe and chanted for Williamson's removal the change was a drastic one to the playing squad together with newly appointed sporting director Rob Clarkson brought in 11 players during the January transfer window confident they would improve the style and the results The idea was that these players would fit a newly created "Carlisle way" that would run through the club and not be dependent on the individual picking the team During that busy period in early January, Tom Piatak doubled down on his backing for Williamson Williamson was sacked following a shambolic 5-1 home defeat by Swindon with nine of the 15 players involved January signings while crucially the team failed to score in half of those Looking for a second new boss of the season Carlisle stunned most when they brought in Wales and Manchester United legend Mark Hughes He had been out of work for 16 months since leaving Bradford City but it was a surprise to see him arriving in Cumbria to try to save the bottom club in the EFL from relegation Performances improved under the 61-year-old but not at the rate required to pull Carlisle out of trouble Hughes criticised the squad's fitness after losing at Harrogate Town in early March stating he had to make substitutions based on players' ability to last 90 minutes rather than for tactical reasons Hughes had to organise bounce games in training in midweek to get people up to match fitness and to assess the huge squad at his disposal only a second on their own turf since August was delivered with only two of the 11 January arrivals starting the game Carlisle went into the game at Cheltenham in their best form for two years with 10 points out of a possible 12 but they had just given themselves too much to do Centre-back and captain Sam Lavelle was Carlisle's joint top scorer with just four goals until striker Matthew Dennis' fifth of the season at Cheltenham on Saturday Carlisle will now have to prepare for their first season in the National League since 2005 That was a brief stay as they climbed back into the EFL at the first time of asking but this relegation is far more of a colossal failure A bloated squad will have to be trimmed and a decision will have to be made on who is in charge Or will the club opt for a manager with National League experience Stockport County and Wrexham have shown what can happen in terms of momentum generated from coming up from the National League But both were marooned in non-league for over a decade before sorting themselves out - that is not a fate Carlisle fans want to contemplate after two seasons of utter misery Carlisle United were saying goodbye to their one and only season in the top flight of English football with a 0-0 draw at champions Derby County 26 April 2025 and the Cumbrians were relegated again – however this one meant saying goodbye to their EFL status Carlisle fans don't need history to frame what has been another disastrous campaign after back-to-back relegations under the club's American owners and serious questions will be asked about just what has gone so badly wrong Fans will point to some highly questionable decision-making – from the timing of Paul Simpson and Mike Williamson's sackings to four successive disastrous transfer windows despite substantial investment in the playing squad When the Piataks took over the club in October 2023 their promise was for Carlisle to "Own The North" that reality couldn't feel any further away Swift back-to-back goals by Stephen Wearne and Matthew Dennis in the first half were enough to frustrate the Ammies, despite goals by Cole Stockton and Hakeeb Adelakun to level the score. Inside five minutes, the Ammies had an opportunity from distance. Tyrese Fornah and Adelakun combined on the left hand-side before Fornah laid the ball for Luke Garbutt and he drilled his effort just wide of the near post. Liam Shephard intercepted a Carlisle pass and launched the Ammies into a counterattack by playing it to Haji Mnoga charging down the right and combined with Adelakun as the latter crossed the ball in for the unmarked Stockton at the back post to shoot from close range but was denied by Gabe Breeze. Sean Fusire charged down the right as Carlisle broke for a counterattack just after the 15-minute mark and cut the ball back for Wearne waiting in the middle as he tapped the ball past Matty Young to take the lead for the home side. Minutes later, Carlisle extended their lead to two after Jack Ellis found Dennis in the box, and he poked the ball past Young. With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Salford managed to pull one back. Ben Woodburn whipped in a pinpoint cross for Stockton to powerfully head past Breeze to mark his fifth goal in the last five away games. Woodburn won the ball on the halfway line from Kadeem Harris in added time of the first half and threaded the ball through for Stockton, but his shot was tipped over by Breeze. Just before the hour mark, Callum Whelan received the ball on the left and weaved his way past the Ammies defence and he opened up his body to take the shot, but Curtis Tilt charged in with a big block. Moments later, Salford got their equaliser in elegant fashion. Adelakun cut inside from the left and played the ball to Nmai in the box before he played it back to Adelakun who made space for himself to accurately place his shot in the bottom left corner. The visitors almost found a winner as Fornah carried the ball into the opposition half and found Woodburn on the right before he lifted the ball in for Stockton to try to head it in again, but the shot went just over. Nmai was fouled by Terell Thomas on the edge of the box which led to a free-kick opportunity for Woodburn. He lined up but played it short to Adelakun to shoot from range, but the ball went just wide. In the 85th minute, the ball bobbled inside the box and into a dangerous area as Georgie Kelly went one-on-one with Young but the Salford shot stopper made himself big and denied the home side from nicking a winner. Carlisle United have lost their EFL status for the first time in 20 years Carlisle have confirmed the exit of sporting director Rob Clarkson "with immediate effect" following the club's unsuccessful battle against relegation from League Two The Cumbrians lost their struggle to stay in the Football League when they were beaten 3-2 at Cheltenham Town on Saturday And the club has wasted little time in trimming their operation in preparation for a season in the National League by parting company with Clarkson Clarkson has only been at Brunton Park for six months having been appointed in October last year after five years heading up scouting at Glasgow Rangers The club confirmed the news in a short statement, external two days after their relegation was confirmed "Everyone at the club would like to thank Rob for his service and wish him well for the future," the statement added "A further update will be provided in due course." Carlisle owner and Florida-based businessman Tom Piatek offered a public apology for the club's relegation the first time in 20 years they have dropped out of the EFL The ownership group insisted they would initiate a "full top to bottom review" of all operations at the club including football performance and recruitment Talks with manager Mark Hughes about whether he will stay on to lead them in the fifth tier were also said to be "ongoing and positive"