Carlisle United F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Carlisle United Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Cumbrians, The Blues | ||
| Founded | 1896 (Shaddongate United) 1904 (official) |
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| Ground | Brunton Park | ||
| Capacity | 17,949 | ||
| Owner |
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| Chairman | Tom Piatak | ||
| Head coach | Mike Williamson | ||
| League | League Two | ||
| 2018–19 | League Two, 11th of 24 | ||
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Carlisle United Football Club is a professional association football team from Carlisle, Cumbria, England. They are known as "The Blues" because of their blue kit, and also "The Cumbrians". The club plays in EFL League Two, which is the fourth level of English football.
Carlisle United has played their home games at Brunton Park since 1909. The club's badge features two Wyverns, which are mythical creatures, taken from the city's coat of arms. Carlisle United is the closest English professional football club to the border with Scotland.
The club was officially formed in 1904. They joined the Football League in 1928. One of their biggest achievements was reaching the top division of English football in the 1974–75 season. They have also won the Football League Trophy twice, in 1997 and 2011. In 2023, they were promoted back to EFL League One after winning the play-off final.
Contents
History of Carlisle United
Early Days: Shaddongate United (1896–1904)
Carlisle United started as a team called Shaddongate United F.C. in 1896. They played in blue and gold stripes. This team quickly became popular in Carlisle. By 1903, they were the biggest football club in the city.
In 1904, the club's members decided to change the team's name to Carlisle United. Some players wanted to keep the old name, but the new name stuck. The idea for the name change came from officials at Newcastle United. They thought it would help the club join bigger football leagues if it represented the whole city.
Becoming Carlisle United (1904–1928)
Carlisle United played their first game on 1 September 1904 against Victoria Wanderers. They lost 2–1. Their first Saturday match was on 3 September 1904, and they won 3–1 against Hexham.
In their first season (1904–05), Carlisle United won both the Cumberland Senior League and the Cumberland Cup. This was a great start for the new club! They then joined the Lancashire Combination League, which was a higher level of football. They had to agree to pay for other teams' train fares for two years because Carlisle was not in Lancashire.
In 1909, Carlisle United moved to their current home, Brunton Park. The club continued to grow and became champions of the North Eastern League in 1922.
Joining the Football League (1928–1964)
After many years, Carlisle United finally joined the Football League in 1928. They replaced Durham City. Their first League game was a 3–2 win against Accrington Stanley. A week later, they won 8–0 against Hartlepools United, which is still their biggest win ever!
During this time, famous managers like Bill Shankly (who later managed Liverpool) and Ivor Broadis worked at Carlisle. Shankly even signed a local player named Geoff Twentyman, who later became a top scout for him at Liverpool.
Carlisle stayed in the lower divisions of the Football League for many years. They were promoted for the first time in 1962.
The Golden Era (1964–1985)
This was a very exciting time for Carlisle United! After being promoted in 1964, they won the Third Division Championship the very next year.
Carlisle became a strong team in the Second Division (which was the second-highest league in England back then). In the 1973–74 season, they finished third and were promoted to the top league in English football, the First Division!
In the 1974–75 season, Carlisle United started amazingly. They won their first three games and were at the very top of the English football league! This was a huge achievement for a club from a small city. Even though they were relegated at the end of that season, their time in the top division is still remembered as a special moment.
After this, Carlisle spent more years in the Second and Third Divisions. In 1982, under manager Bob Stokoe, they were promoted to the Second Division again.
Tough Times (1986–2005)
After their golden era, Carlisle United faced some difficult years. They were relegated twice in a row and dropped back to the Fourth Division in 1987. Attendances at games became very low.
In 1992, Michael Knighton bought the club. He had big plans, even saying he wanted Carlisle to reach the Premier League! The club's stadium, Brunton Park, was improved. In the 1994–95 season, Carlisle won the Third Division Championship, which was a great success. They also played at Wembley for the first time in the Auto Windscreens Shield Final, but lost.
The club went up and down between divisions. In 1999, Carlisle United had a truly unforgettable moment. In the very last game of the season, they needed to win to stay in the Football League. In the 95th minute, their goalkeeper, Jimmy Glass, ran forward for a corner kick and scored the winning goal! This amazing goal saved the club from being relegated out of the Football League.
However, Carlisle continued to struggle. In 2003–04, after 76 years, they were finally relegated from the Football League to the Conference (the fifth tier).
Back to the Football League (2005–present)
Luckily, Carlisle United didn't stay out of the Football League for long! Under player-manager Paul Simpson, they won the play-off final in 2005 and were promoted straight back.
The next season, 2005–06, was even better! They won the League Two title and were promoted again. They stayed in EFL League One for several years.
Carlisle United has a great record in the Football League Trophy. They have reached the final six times, more than any other team! They won the trophy in 1997 and again in 2011.
In 2022, Paul Simpson returned as manager and helped the club avoid relegation. In the 2022–23 season, Carlisle finished fifth and won the play-offs, beating Stockport County in the final to get promoted back to EFL League One. However, they were relegated back to League Two in the 2023-24 season.
In November 2023, the Piatak Family from Florida became the new owners of Carlisle United.
Team Colours and Badge
When the club changed its name to Carlisle United in 1904, they also changed their shirt colours to blue. Since then, their kits have mostly been blue and white, sometimes with red details.
The club's badge is based on the city's coat of arms. It features two Wyverns, which are symbols of the British Kingdom of Cumbria. The motto on the badge says: 'Be just and fear not'.
For a while, Carlisle was known as 'The Foxes'. This was because of a local connection to a huntsman named John Peel. In 1970, the club badge even changed to show a golden fox. They also had a stuffed fox mascot named Olga (which is "goal" spelled backwards!) that was carried onto the pitch before matches. This tradition stopped after Olga was damaged in a flood in 2015.
Since 1995, the club has gone back to using the city's coat of arms as its main badge.
Team Sponsors
Stobart Group, a local company, was the club's main shirt sponsor for a long time, starting in 1995. They were one of the longest-running sponsorship deals in English football. The Stobart Group also supported the club in other ways, like buying 4,000 tickets for a game in 2010 and giving them away to fans.
Here's a look at some of the kit suppliers and shirt sponsors over the years:
| Period | Kit Suppliers | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1973–76 | Umbro | None |
| 1976–81 | Admiral | |
| 1981–82 | Umbro | |
| 1982–88 | McEwan's Younger | |
| 1988–90 | Bukta | Sealy |
| 1990–92 | Ribero | |
| 1992–93 | Matchwinner | Lloyd Motor Group |
| 1993–95 | Conway Vauxhaull | |
| 1995–97 | Red Fox | Eddie Stobart |
| 1997–2000 | Stobart | |
| 2000–02 | Errea | Eddie Stobart |
| 2002–05 | Umbro | |
| 2005–07 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 2007–11 | Stobart | |
| 2011–12 | Carbrini Sportswear | |
| 2012–14 | Fila | |
| 2014–16 | Sondico | Virgin Trains |
| 2016–17 | DSD Construction | |
| 2017–19 | Umbro | Edinburgh Woollen Mill |
| 2019–21 | Erreà | |
| 2021–22 | Thomas Graham | |
| 2022–23 | Bimson Haulage | |
| 2023–24 | Umbro | |
| 2024-present | Aqua Pura |
Brunton Park Stadium
Carlisle United's home stadium is Brunton Park. The club moved there in 1909 and has played there ever since. Before that, as Shaddongate United, they played at Millholme Bank and Devonshire Park.
Brunton Park can hold 18,202 people. It has both seated areas and standing terraces. The four main stands are the Main (West) Stand, the East Stand, the "Waterworks" Petteril Stand, and the Warwick Road End. The Warwick Road End is usually where the loudest supporters gather on match days.
The stadium has faced challenges over the years, including severe flooding and a fire that destroyed a wooden stand in 1953.
In 2011, there was a plan to build a new, smaller stadium for the club, but these plans have not moved forward. In 2015–16, Carlisle had to play some home games at other stadiums because Brunton Park was flooded by Storm Desmond.
Club Ownership
Carlisle United is owned by a company called Carlisle United Association Football Club (1921) Ltd. Most of the club (90%) is controlled by Castle Sports Group, which is owned by the Piatak Family from Florida, USA. The remaining 10% is owned by The United Trust, a group formed by supporters in 2001.
In 1992, property developer Michael Knighton bought the club. He was a very talked-about owner. He even claimed to have seen a UFO, which made headlines in the local newspaper! Knighton's time as owner was controversial, and he eventually sold the club in 2002 after a long battle with supporters.
Supporters and Rivalries
Carlisle United has many fans in and around Carlisle. Because it's the only professional football club for a long distance, it also attracts supporters from across Cumbria, parts of South West Scotland, and Northumberland. The club's fans are known as the Blue Army.
The most passionate supporters stand in the Warwick Road End at Brunton Park. They sing popular football chants and also special songs like "Proud to be a Cumbrian" and "Super Carlisle from the North".
Carlisle's traditional rivals are Workington and Barrow. However, these teams haven't played each other very often in competitive matches because Workington and Barrow were out of the Football League for many years. Barrow was promoted back to the Football League in 2020, so competitive games between them happen again.
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Player of the Season Award
Carlisle United fans vote for their Player of the Season. Here are some of the winners:
| 2001–02 |  Richie Foran |
| 2002–03 |  Craig Farrell |
| 2003–04 | Brendan McGill |
| 2004–05 | Michael Bridges |
| 2005–06 | Karl Hawley |
| 2006–07 | Karl Hawley |
| 2007–08 | Keiren Westwood |
| 2008–09 | Cleveland Taylor |
| 2009–10 | Richard Keogh |
| 2010–11 | James Berrett |
| 2011–12 |  Lee Miller |
| 2012–13 | Matty Robson |
| 2013–14 | David AmooBrad Potts |
| 2014–15 | Kyle Dempsey |
| 2015–16 | Danny Grainger |
| 2016–17 | Nicky Adams |
| 2017–18 | Jamie DevittClint Hill |
| 2018–19 | Adam Collin |
| 2019–20 | |
| 2020–21 | Callum Guy |
| 2021–22 | Mark Howard |
| 2022–23 | Owen Moxon |
Hall of Fame
Carlisle United has a Hall of Fame to celebrate important players and managers from their history. Here are some of the people who have been honored:
| Alan Ashman |
Rory Delap |
Hugh Mcllmoyle |
Billy Rafferty |
John Evans |
Geoff Twentyman |
| Tony Caig |
Matt Jansen |
Alan Ross |
Les O'Neill |
Les Dagger |
Jimmy Whitehouse |
| Jimmy Glass |
David Reeves |
 Dean Walling |
Steve Hoolickin |
Hugh Neil |
 Alf Ackerman |
| Paul Murray |
Ray Train |
Bob Stokoe |
John Gorman |
Willie Carlin |
Eric Hayton |
| Trevor Swinburne |
Mark Winstanley |
Alan Shoulder |
Tony Leach |
Peter McConnell |
John Billingham |
| Keith Walwyn |
Peter Beardsley |
George Bristowe |
Bob Hatton |
Stan Harland |
Billy Hogan |
| Chris Balderstone |
Tony Gallimore |
Malcolm Poskett |
Stan Bowles |
Ronnie Simpson |
Jimmy McConnell |
Club Management
Coaching Team
Here are some of the people who help manage and coach the Carlisle United team:
| Role | Name |
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| Head Coach | Mike Williamson |
| Assistant Head Coach | Ian Watson |
| First Team Coach | Vacant |
| First Team Coach | Chris Bell |
| Head of Goalkeeping | Tom Weal |
| Physiotherapist | Sophie Birnie |
| Assistant Physiotherapist | James Counsell |
| Head of Performance | Toby Frost |
| Strength and Conditioning | Adam Kwiecien |
| First Team Analyst | Glenn Boden |
| Head of Recruitment | Greg Abbott |
| Receuitment Analyst | Jacob Blain |
| Kit Manager | Emma Maclagan |
| Academy Manager | Steven Rudd |
| Head of Academy Coaching | Chris Blake |
| Lead Professional Development Phase Coach | Mark Birch |
| Assistant Professional Development Phase Coach | Jamie Devitt |
| Lead Youth Development Phase Coach | John Foley |
| Lead Foundation Phase Coach | Warren Matthews |
| Academy Goalkeeping Coach | Roman Caig |
| Academy Physiotherapist | Helen Mathie |
| Academy Strength Coach | James Pringle |
| Academy Analyst | Cameron Westmorland |
| Ladies Manager | Tracy Gannon |
Successful Managers
These managers have helped Carlisle United win trophies or achieve promotions:
| Greg Abbott |  England |
2007 (caretaker) 2008 (caretaker) 2008–2013 |
Football League Trophy winners: 2010–11 runners-up: 2009–10 |
| Paul Simpson | England |
2003–2006
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League Two winners: 2005–06 Football League Trophy runners-up: 2005–06 |
| Roddy Collins |  Ireland |
2001–2002 2002–2003 |
Football League Trophy runners-up: 2002–03 |
| Mervyn Day | England |
1996–1997 | Football League Second Division Third runners-up: 1996–97 Football League Trophy winners: 1996–97 |
| Mick Wadsworth | England |
1993–1996 | Football League Second Division winners: 1994–95 Football League Trophy runners-up: 1995–96 |
| Bob Stokoe | England |
1968–1970 1980 – 1985 1985–1986 |
Football League Third Division runners-up: 1981–82 |
| Alan Ashman | England |
1963 – 1967 1972–1975 |
Football League Second Division Third runners-up: 1973–74 Football League Third Division winners: 1964–65 |
Club Achievements
Carlisle United has won several titles and cups throughout its history:
League Titles
- Second Division (level 2)
- Promoted: 1973–74
- Third Division (level 3)
- Champions: 1964–65
- Runners-up: 1981–82
- Fourth Division / League Two (level 4)
- Champions: 1994–95, 2005–06
- Runners-up: 1963–64
- Promoted: 1961–62, 1996–97
- Play-off winners: 2023
- Conference (level 5)
- Play-off winners: 2005
- Lancashire Combination Division One
- Champions: 1907–08
- Lancashire Combination Division Two
- Champions: 1906–07
- North Eastern League
- Champions: 1921–22
Cup Wins
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 1996–97, 2010–11
- Runners-up: 1994–95, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2009–10
- Cumberland Senior Cup
- Winners (29 times): 1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1912–13, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1979–80, 1989–90, 1992–93, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2018–19
League Journey
Carlisle United has played 82 seasons in the Football League. The only time they left the Football League since 1928 was in 2004, but they returned the very next year.
They are the only club to have reached the final of the Football League Trophy six times, winning it twice. Their highest ever league position was in 1974, when they were promoted to the top tier of English football. Carlisle is still the smallest city in England to have had a top-flight football team since 1906.
Club Records
- Highest League position: 22nd in Football League Division One (1st tier), 1974–75
- Best FA Cup performance: Quarter-finals, 1974–75
- Best Football League Cup performance: Semi-finals, 1969–70
- Best Football League Trophy performance: Winners, 1996–97, 2010–11
- Record Victory: 8–0 vs. Hartlepools United (1 September 1928)
- Record Defeat: 1–11 vs. Hull City (14 January 1939)
- Most League Goals in a Season: 113 goals in Division 4, 1963–64
- Most Wins In a Row: 8 Wins, 1 October 2016 to 9 November 2016
- Most League Goals by a Player in a Season: Jimmy McConnell, 42 goals, 1928–29
- Most League Goals by a Player Overall: Jimmy McConnell, 126 goals, 1928–32
- Most League Appearances: Alan Ross, 466 games, 1963–79
- Most Capped Player: Dean Furman, 58 caps for South Africa
- Record Transfer Fee Paid: £140,000 for Joe Garner from Blackburn Rovers
- Record Sale: £1.5 million for Matt Jansen to Crystal Palace
Images for kids
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Carlisle United completing a lap of honour at Wembley after winning the Football League Trophy in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Carlisle United Football Club para niños
