In the third of our series looking at the new teams entering League Two this season, we turn our attention to Paul Simpson’s Carlisle United.
The Cumbrians finished bottom of League One last year after a difficult campaign, but their owners have promised big investment as they look to make an immediate return to the third tier.
Here, we take a more detailed look at what we can expect from Carlisle United this season.
A Brief History
Carlisle United, originally founded as Shaddongate United in 1896, officially adopted its current name in 1904. They joined the Football League in 1928, winning their debut match 3-2 against Accrington Stanley and achieving a record 8-0 victory over Scunthorpe United a week later. The club paused during WWII but resumed post-war. In 1948, Bill Shankly began his managerial career with Carlisle.
Carlisle was a founding member of the Fourth Division in 1958, winning their first promotion in 1962. In 1964, they clinched the Third Division title. By 1974, Carlisle reached the First Division for the first time and participated in the Anglo-Italian Cup, defeating Roma 3-2. Shankly praised their ascent as the ‘greatest feat in the history of the game.’
After relegation in 1977, they bounced back in 1982 with another Third Division title. The 1990s were tough, highlighted by Jimmy Glass's famous last-minute goal in 1999 to keep them in the league. Carlisle dropped out of the Football League in 2004 but quickly returned under Paul Simpson's management, achieving consecutive promotions to League One.
The club spent nearly a decade in League One, reaching the EFL Trophy final twice, winning in 2011. After some struggles in League Two, they were promoted again under Simpson in 2023 but were relegated back to League Two the following season.
Key Players
Carlisle have been one of the busiest clubs in League Two this summer, aiming for an immediate return to League One by signing a mix of youth and experience.
Their most notable signing is experienced striker Charlie Wyke (pictured above), returning to the club after leaving for Bradford in 2017. Wyke has been one of the Football League's top scorers in recent seasons, excelling at Sunderland and Wigan. He scored seven goals for Wigan in League One last season and is a strong contender for the top scorer spot in League Two this year.
Another key returnee is Aaron Hayden, a defender who has helped Wrexham achieve back-to-back promotions. Known for his goal-scoring ability as well as his defensive prowess, Hayden scored 19 goals in 81 games for Wrexham and is expected to be a significant asset for The Cumbrians.
Luke Armstrong is another player to watch. After a stellar 2022-23 season at Harrogate, a failed transfer attempt disrupted his momentum. He joined Carlisle in January but struggled initially. With a full pre-season under his belt, Armstrong is poised to become a major threat to League Two defences this season.
Who’s the boss?
Experienced manager Paul Simpson is the man in the dugout for Carlisle United this season.
Simpson is a hero in Cumbria, having first become Carlisle United's manager in 2003. Born in the city and a former player, Simpson faced challenges in his first season, including a transfer embargo and off-pitch difficulties, which led to relegation. However, he turned the club’s fortunes around, securing promotion through the play-offs in 2005 and achieving a double promotion by winning League Two the following year to take the team into League One.
Simpson left Carlisle to manage Preston, Shrewsbury, and Stockport. After dropping down the divisions, he found success as assistant manager to Steve McClaren at Derby and Newcastle. His career resurgence continued as he led the England U20 team to a World Cup victory before joining Bristol City as assistant manager.
Simpson returned to Carlisle in 2022, keeping the club up with a fantastic final run. He then led the team to promotion to League One the following year. Despite finishing rock-bottom last season, Simpson aims to secure his third promotion from League Two with Carlisle this year.
The Stadium
Carlisle United play their home games at Brunton Park. It is one of the longest away days in the division for County, with around 290 miles separating the two clubs. Brunton Park can hold 17,949 fans.
Head-to-Head Record
Our first clash with Carlisle took place in October 1963, with the Cumbrians running out as 4-1 winners. However, we have had a lot of luck against them since then. We have played each other 28 times, with us winning 11, Carlisle winning eight, and nine ending in a draw.
Last time out
Our last match against Carlisle took place at Brunton Park in January 2023.
Paul Simpson's men, sitting in fourth place and pushing for automatic promotion spots after winning two of their last three games, capitalised on some poor defending. Kristian Dennis poked the home side into the lead just before the break.
The Cumbrians doubled their lead 12 minutes into the second half when John-Kymani Gordon ran at the defence and slotted the ball past Joe Day.