Carlisle United Football Club have a proud tradition in the English game. However, at the weekend, Mark Hughes’ team suffered relegation to the fifth-tier of the English game for only the second time in their history.
With two games left in the League Two campaign, United needed to beat Cheltenham Town on Saturday to have any hope of beating the drop.
However, it was always going to be difficult, and a stoppage-time winner from George Miller gave Town a 3-2 victory and, in the process, confirmed Carlisle’s fate.
Always an uphill battle after a woeful campaign
Heading into the last two games of the season, needing to win both of their remaining games, and hoping that closest rivals Tranmere Rovers would slip up, it was always likely to be too much to achieve.
Ironically, United headed into the game in their best form in two years. The Cumbrians were unbeaten in four league matches, having recorded three wins and a draw. In the end, their poor results for much of their league campaign made it an insurmountable task.
Carlisle United owner ‘deeply sorry’ for relegation https://t.co/XGfXSxG8ep
— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) April 27, 2025
In fairness to head coach Mark Hughes, the rot had set in far before he joined the club in early February. Incredibly, their fate had looked sealed for a long time, as United have been at the bottom of the table since October, having been at the bottom for just three days since their fall to 24th position.
Carlisle’s hangover from relegation last season
Unfortunately for Carlisle, they are familiar with the taste of relegation, as they suffered relegation from League One last season. Not many clubs suffer two straight relegations, and it’s an unfortunate club to join.
It could be argued that this scenario started four games into the season after the club’s US owners decided to sack Paul Simpson. The team had lost three of their opening four league games under Simpson, who had returned to his hometown club.
However, prior to suffering relegation from League One, Simpson had first saved United from relegation to the National League and then led the club to an unexpected promotion via the play-offs after a fifth-place finish in the table over the regular season.
In the end, though, Carlisle was not good enough for League One, and United were relegated after finishing rock bottom of the third-tier table. The hangover of relegation obviously affected the start of the new season.
Simpson’s replacement, Mike Williamson, was supposed to bring a more expansive style of football. However, the team’s form was dire under the former MK Dons, as the Cumbrians won just five of their 25 games before his dismissal in February.
By the time Hughes arrived at the club, the team were in big trouble. The former Wales boss oversaw 17 league matches, winning five, drawing five and losing seven games. His record was slightly better than his predecessor’s, but it seems the damage was done long before his arrival.
Everybody at the club played their part in the Blues’ situation. Each of the three managers, and especially the players, needs to take their fair share of responsibility.
What now for Carlisle next season?
The club’s American owners will be made aware of what relegation to the fifth-tier will mean in a financial and playing sense. Hughes’ future as boss is unknown. It seems unlikely that he is likely to stay in the National League.
The majority of the players responsible for Carlisle’s relegation are also likely to leave the club. After a season to forget, that may not necessarily be a bad thing for the Cumbrians, as they most don’t deserve to still be at the club in the new campaign.
They have only ever spent one season in the fifth tier, which came in season 2005/06, when Paul Simpson guided the club back to the fourth tier as champions in his first spell as the club’s manager.
However, the quality of the National League has arguably increased in recent years. It has become a tough league to gain promotion from, with some bigger clubs dropping out of the Football League.
Even with the current toughness of the fifth-tier, everybody associated with Carlisle will be hoping for an instant return to League Two, as this season has been a nightmare from almost the start to finish, a campaign that everybody connected with the club will be looking to forget in a hurry.