Get the lowdown on our next opponents: Carlisle United.
The Opposition
The closest professional team to Scotland, Carlisle United will be aiming to bounce straight back into the EFL after more than two decades, having found themselves in the fifth tier after suffering their first relegation to the National League since the 2003/04 season, when they dropped from the Third Division to the Conference.
A dismal run of form last term brought the dismissal of former Gateshead and MK Dons boss Mike Williamson, who was replaced by former Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Stoke City gaffer Mark Hughes. A man who has previously managed in the Premier League and guided the Potters to three successive top half finishes, ‘Sparky’ was unable to prevent Carlisle’s slide into non-league via back-to-back relegations, but has managed to lead them to within touching distance of an instant return.
The Cumbrians currently sit third in the division with three games to go, 15 points behind league leaders York City but five points ahead of fourth placed Boreham Wood. They mathematically can’t win automatic promotion; York and Rochdale the two sides battling it out for the league title, but Hughes’ side will be keen to cement their spot in third and ensure immediate passage into the play-off semi-final, with the Blues needing a win and a draw or defeat for Boreham Wood against Hartlepool United this weekend to secure this.
Carlisle have largely maintained their form throughout the campaign, with hints of inconsistency here and there preventing them from challenging for the title, though they have maintained a relatively comfortable distance from the final four play-off spots for a number of weeks now. The goals of Regan Linney have been central this, with the former Altrincham forward maintaining his goalscoring form since signing from the Robins last summer, and he has rediscovered his touch in the final third recently with four goals in his last five games, more than in his previous 20 combined, having notched just one goal in 2026 prior to his recent resurgence.
Georgie Kelly and Luke Armstrong have added a further 22 goals between them, along with former Sutton forward David Ajiboye (7) who has been a threatening figure in the Blues’ frontline this term, and has led to only three teams scoring more than Carlisle’s 80 goals this season (York City (109), Rochdale (83) and Boreham Wood (88)). In midfield, Harvey Macadam has proven be a crucial recruit from Morecambe, with Linney the only outfield player to appear more times alongside the likes of Alex Gilliead and Stephen Wearne, while the likes of Jack Ellis, Morgan Feeney, Cameron Harper, Terrell Thomas and Ryan Galvin have contributed to Carlisle having the sixth best defensive record in the division (51), led by Gabe Breeze in goal who has been an ever present in between the sticks.
Promotion is very much on the cards for Carlisle, who will be aiming to build their momentum ahead of the play-offs and extend their unbeaten streak to six games come Saturday; eight come the end of the season, as their hunt for a spot in League Two extends into May.
The Manager
Mark Hughes
Carlisle appointed former Stoke City boss Mark Hughes in February 2025, bringing in a man with Premier League pedigree during an overall dismal campaign in League Two.
Nicknamed ‘Sparky’, Hughes came through the ranks at Manchester United as a player and went on to appear 467 times for the Red Devils, scoring 163 goals across two spells, and was regarded as one of the top strikers in Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The former Wales international can also name FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich on his list of clubs, before ending his playing career with spells at Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
The 61-year old transitioned into management with a five-year spell in charge of Wales, where he revitalised the team and came close to qualifying for Euro 2004. He then made the move into club management, impressing at former club Blackburn between 2004 and 2008, where he built a resilient side that reached an FA Cup semi-final and qualified for Europe.
A high-profile move to Manchester City followed in 2008, but ended abruptly after the Sheikh Mansour takeover at the Etihad Stadium, and led to his departure in favour of Roberto Mancini. He later managed Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City, most notably guiding the Potters to successive ninth place finishes in the Premier League, but an underwhelming start to the 2017/18 season led to his dismissal midway through the campaign.
Hughes later took charge of Southampton in March 2018 and secured the Saints’ Premier League status before signing a three-year deal in the summer. However, Southampton made a poor start to the 2018/19 season and was replaced by Ralph Hasenhüttl, before spending a little over four years out of the game. Hughes returned to management in February 2022, taking charge of his first club outside the Premier League when he took over at Bradford City, although he was dismissed 20 months later, and he ended up spending another 16 months without a club, but again ended an extended spell away from the game by taking over Carlisle United, who were relegated at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Despite this, he opted to remain in charge at Brunton Park ahead of a campaign in the National League, and has led them to third place in the division and a shot at the play-offs, with League Two promotion remaining very much on the cards.
One to Watch
Regan Linney
Carlisle signalled their intent after relegation with the signing of Altrincham hotshot Regan Linney, securing the services of the division’s second highest scorer last season.
Preston-born, Linney began his career at Bamber Bridge, where, after being fast-tracked through the Academy ranks, he broke into the first team at 17 years old. He subsequently joined FC United of Manchester at the beginning of July 2019 and immediately hit the ground running as a bustling centre-forward with a flair for taking defenders on and an unerring eye for goal.
Altrincham had been monitoring the centre forward’s unstoppable form on a regular basis and secured the signature of a player who has been consistently lethal in his four seasons at Broadhurst Park, before stepping up in the National League as Alty’s main man, scoring 23 goals last term, bettered only by York City’s Ollie Pearce (31). A highly sought-after figure, Linney opted to join relegated side Carlisle in the summer, and has continued his fine goalscoring form with the Cumbrians, firing home another 18 goals this term which have been bettered by only four players in the entire division (Ollie Pearce, Mani Dieseruvwe, Matt Rush and Will Harris).
Photo Credit: Carlisle United Football Club
Recent Form
Morecambe 2-2 Carlisle United
Carlisle United 0-0 Gateshead
Braintree Town 1-2 Carlisle United
FC Halifax Town 0-1 Carlisle United
Carlisle United 6-2 Boston United
Tamworth 2-1 Carlisle United
Last Time Out
Carlisle United were held to a 2-2 draw against a resilient Morecambe at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.
The Shrimps exerted early pressure with Chris Popov escaping down the left and having a low shot blocked by Gabe Breeze, and despite Carlisle following this up with chances for David Ajiboye and Regan Linney, Gwion Edwards opened the scoring when he received the ball inside the penalty area and sent a scorching effort past Breeze, giving Jim Bentley’s side the advantage at the interval.
The Blues responded through Linney though, levelling in the 48th minute after Ajiboye got onto a loose ball in the Shrimps penalty area, who set the ball to the Blues attacker to fire into the bottom corner, and the latter then gave them the lead 20 minutes later, accelerating onto Breeze’s pinpoint kick forward before outpacing George Thomas and going past Myles Boney to pass into the back of the net.
However, a late Harvey Macadam own goal saw the game end level when a scramble in the United penalty area saw the former Morecambe man backpedal towards his own goal, and he was unfortunate to head the ball backwards over Breeze into his own net to give his former club a lifeline.
Photo Credit: Carlisle United Football Club
