Carlisle United F.C.

History

1896–1904: Shaddongate United

Shaddongate United F.C. are first reported in 1896 as the winners of the Carlisle Association Charity Shield and are recorded as playing at Willow Holme in the Shaddongate area of the city, now an industrial estate, and wearing blue and gold stripes. At the time Carlisle Red Rose and Carlisle AFC were the pre-eminent clubs in Carlisle but the new club quickly gained a following and by the time Carlisle AFC folded in 1899 they were considered a force to be reckoned with. By 1903 they had overtaken Red Rose and were further cemented as the city's biggest club when Red Rose's entire team were banned for four months by the Cumberland Football Association for taking part in a Scottish amateur tournament in contravention of league rules.

A myth has persisted that Shaddongate and Red Rose had merged to form Carlisle United and this likely led the club to adopt 1904 as their official date of foundation, though Red Rose continued until 1906 at which point they folded. Only in 2017 did more information about the early part of their history come to light.

1904–1928: Carlisle United

On 17 May 1904 at Shaddongate United's annual general meeting the club's members voted to change the team's name to Carlisle United at a heated meeting in Caldewgate, and it wasn't without its detractors. In fact, a breakaway group decided that Shaddongate United should live on and they continued to play under that name. However, they didn't have much of a local impact and their exploits have also been lost in the fullness of time. The initial idea having been proposed by Newcastle United officials who felt it would aid them when applying to regional football leagues if they represented the entire city. At the time they played at Milhome Bank and later at Devonshire Park, finally settling at their current home Brunton Park in 1909. The first ever recorded fixture that United played was on 1 September 1904 when they entertained Victoria Wanderers, another Carlisle based side, in a friendly. Wanderers would go on to win the game, played at Millholme Bank, 2–1 and, unfortunately, the scorer of that historic goal has been lost to history with his name never having been recorded.

The first ever Saturday match for Carlisle United was on 3 September 1904, and it ended in victory with a 3–1 win over Hexham. Seven days later it was Maxwelltown, just across the border, who played host in a thrilling 3–3 draw that saw both sides take and lose the lead. A final nail in the coffin for Shaddongate came when the new Carlisle United entered the Cumberland Senior League. The division had just the six teams (including fierce rivals Carlisle Red Rose) and it was to be the Roses who would inflict a first league defeat on United when they beat them 2–0 at Boundary Road. Revenge would be gained a month later when United went to the Roses ground at Maryport Cottages and beat them 2–1 in another nip and tuck match.

It was in this 1904–05 season that Carlisle United entered the FA Cup for the first time. They were drawn to play against Workington who were, at that time, the top side in Cumberland. In fact, so good were they that they comfortably held their own in the Lancashire Combination League. The cup game ended in a 2–2 draw with the West Cumbrians running out as 3–1 winners in the replay. In the Cumberland Cup United started by knocking out Frizington White Star, followed by Workington and then Keswick in the semi-final. The final, played on the Warwick Road ground, brought United and Red Rose together again, and it was the newer of the two sides who would come out on top. The 2–0 win not only handed them the Cumberland Cup, but also confirmed them as the first side to ever achieve the League and Cup double.

1928–1964: Football League

Carlisle United won their first League fixture Football League Third Division North in August 1928 with the side of Prout, Coulthard, Cook, Harrison, Ross, Pigg, Agar, Hutchison, McConnell, Ward and Watson beating Accrington Stanley 3–2. Their next game a week later was played against Hartlepools United and still stands to this day as their record victory at 8–0, though it was later equalled on Christmas Day 1952 when Scunthorpe were beaten by the same score. Carlisle finished in eighth place in their inaugural campaign which proved to be the best in the pre-war era. In 1934–35 the Club finished bottom of the table and had to seek re-election for the only time.

When the Second World War began in 1939, Carlisle United withdrew from national and regional competitions and only played local football. When the war was over the club returned to the Football League and appointed Ivor Broadis as player-manager, making him the youngest league club manager in history at just 23. He then had the distinction of becoming the first manager to transfer himself when he moved to Sunderland, he continued to live and train in Carlisle. Broadis returned to Carlisle United in 1955 an ex-England international.

In 1949, the club became the first to appoint Bill Shankly as manager. Shankly, a former player at Carlisle, later went on to manage local rivals Workington (helping them finish above Carlisle for the first time) before being appointed as manager of Liverpool in 1959; over the next 15 years he would guide that club to numerous trophy successes. It is at Carlisle where he met local player Geoff Twentyman, who he would later sign as head scout at Liverpool, and lifelong friend Ivor Broadis. Broadis, who was playing for Sunderland but living and training with Carlisle, once arrived late for training and Shankly asserted that he would play by United's training rules even if he didn't play there. According to Shankly, he said to Broadis: "What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? If you do the training we do you can train with us and we'll play five-a-side and you'll run your guts out as an example to everybody else".

Carlisle were members of the Third Division North until 1958 when it combined with the Third Division South to become the Fourth Division. They remained there until 1962 when they won their first promotion, they were relegated the following season but immediately bounced back to begin the most prosperous period in the club's history.

1964–1985: Golden era

Upon gaining promotion to the Third Division in 1964 United immediately won the Third Division Championship the following year. In the period which followed Carlisle enjoyed their greatest success outside of cup competitions. Over 12 years the club cemented themselves as a solid Second Division (then the second tier in English football) side. Within that period Carlisle finished seven out of 11 seasons in the top half of the table including third in 66–67, fourth in 70–71 and a third in 73–74 which saw them promoted to the top tier of English football. The end of the 71–72 season also saw Carlisle play their only European competition in the club's history, the Anglo-Italian Cup, and in June 1972 they beat A.S. Roma 3–2 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Playing in the First Division for the 1974–75 season, Carlisle won their first three fixtures (including 1–0 against Tottenham Hotspur before 18,426 spectators) to go top of the English football pyramid, partly due to the likes of Chris Balderstone, scoring the penalty which put them at the top, and Bobby Parker who both went on to make at least 375 league appearances for Carlisle. The success was short lived however, they finished the season in bottom place and were relegated. Highlight victories include doing a double over Everton, and home victories over eventual champions Derby County, and former title holders Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Bill Shankly, an FA Cup and League Championship winning manager by that time, branded Carlisle's climb to the top as "the greatest feat in the history of the game."

After Carlisle's brief taste of life in the First Division, the Club found themselves struggling in Division Two, and another relegation followed in 76–77 returning to the Third Division first time in 13 years.

Their top-flight journey three years earlier had faded into memory and, though a handful of their First Division squad remained, these were not such glorious times for the Cumbrians. It was Bobby Moncur's first full season in charge in 1977–78, the Newcastle legend having succeeded reluctant boss Dick Young the previous autumn. Carlisle never managed to hit any sort of winning stride and found their campaign studded with draws. The FA Cup had brought some respite from the mundane: Carlisle encountered Manchester United in the Third Round, following a decent spell of winter form. A 1–1 draw at Brunton Park is also remembered for the controversial decision not to award the Blues a second-half penalty, and eventually they bowed out with a 4–2 defeat in the Old Trafford replay. By the spring they had also seen the departure of their most dangerous player: striker Billy Rafferty, who was sold to Wolves. United had replaced him with Portsmouth's David Kemp. Carlisle would settle the season with a 13th-placed finish.

1986–2005: Doldrums

Carlisle ended their most prosperous period as rapidly as it had started. Back to back relegations saw them drop into the Fourth Division in 1987 for the first time since 1964. Even there, fortunes did not initially start to improve. Attendance slumped to the lowest in the club's history and only 1,287 saw the league game against Chester in May 1987 and the introduction of automatic promotion/relegation to the Vauxhall Conference posed a new threat. Carlisle's first season in there saw them finish second from bottom but 19 points ahead of relegated Newport County meant no danger of the drop.

Carlisle's league form was improved after three poor seasons and they finished 12th in Division Four in 1988–89. They reached the FA Cup third round, where their run was ended by defending league champions and eventual FA Cup winners, Liverpool. Seventeen-year-old defender Steve Harkness was sold to Liverpool at the end of the season and his place in the team was filled by Middlesbrough's Paul Proudlock.

Carlisle's progress continued into the new decade, but their play-off hopes were ended on the final day of the season by a 5–2 demolition at the hands of Maidstone United. This was a disappointing end to an encouraging season during which the Cumbrians had topped the 1989–90 Fourth Division on Christmas Day and for a while in January as well before a late slump in form cost them dearly. In the end they missed out on the play-offs due to inferior goal difference.

A promising start to the 1990–91 season suggested that the Cumbrians were finally on their way out of the Fourth Division, but a disastrous second half of the campaign saw them slump to 20th in the final table and cost manager Clive Middlemass his job in March. He was succeeded by Aidan McCaffrey, who was left needing a substantial overhaul to get Carlisle's fortunes back on track.

In 1992, Carlisle endured one of the worst seasons in their history as they finished bottom of the Fourth Division, but were lucky because the demise of Aldershot mid-season resulted in no relegation to the Conference taking place that year. A brief respite in Carlisle's decline then came when in the summer of 1992 the club was taken over by Michael Knighton, the man who had made headlines in 1989 with his failed takeover bid for Manchester United, who became chairman and chief executive of Carlisle United. Knighton purchased the entire shareholding from the former board of directors, some 75.6% of the club. The next three years saw a dramatic rise in the club's fortunes. From 1992 to 1996, some £4.5 million of investment had been provided to improve the Brunton Park stadium. A new East Stand (6,000 All Seater) was opened by Nat Lofthouse in August 1996, as the first phase of the planned 28,000 all-seater stadium. In October 1993 a club record transfer fee was paid in the first three years of Knighton's reign, acquiring a much-needed prolific goalscorer with the purchase of David Reeves for £121,000 from Notts County. The club also broke its unbeaten run of games without defeat, by setting a new record of 19 games.

2005–2025: Return to the Football League

Carlisle were promoted out of the Conference at the first time of asking in 2004–05, winning the play-off final by defeating Stevenage Borough 1–0 at the Britannia Stadium. Carlisle's excellent form under manager Paul Simpson continued into the following season as they returned to the Football League with a bang, clinching the League Two title. Simpson then departed for Preston North End, and was succeeded by Neil McDonald.

In 2006–07, the club were mired in mid-table but staged a late run for a play-off place, they finally finished the season eighth, their highest league place for 20 years with the added bonus of returning their highest average league crowds for 30 years. Carlisle started the 2007–08 season with a 1–1 draw at newly promoted Walsall but manager Neil McDonald was sacked on the Monday after the match. Cheltenham Town manager John Ward took over on a permanent basis in October 2007, with both clubs agreeing a six-figure compensation package. Under Ward Carlisle were in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot but could only manage a draw on the final day of the season and finished fourth. In the play-off semi-final, Carlisle lost to Leeds United 3–2 on aggregate.

The 2008–09 season saw Carlisle start promisingly but it was soon followed by one of the worst runs of form in the club's history. Because of this manager John Ward was sacked and replaced by caretaker manager Greg Abbott, signing him permanently after he uplifted the club's form in the subsequent games. Carlisle completed two full seasons with Abbott at the helm, and achieved comfortable mid-table finishes in both. More noteworthy were the two runs in the Football League Trophy which took place in those seasons. The team were beaten in the final in 2010 but returned the following year, to win the trophy in 2011. The following season started successfully for the Cumbrians and sustained a considerable play-off push throughout the season. A dip in form towards the end of the seasons saw Carlisle miss out by two points to Stevenage.

Following a narrow 1–0 home defeat to Port Vale, Abbott's five-year reign as United manager ended. Following Abbott's sacking, assistant manager Graham Kavanagh was installed as caretaker manager, later appointed on a permanent basis. In May 2014, Carlisle were relegated having finished 22nd, ending an eight-year spell in the third tier.

Colours and badge

Upon the decision to change the name of Shaddongate F.C. to Carlisle United in 1904 the club also changed their shirt colours from gold and navy stripes to blue. In 1907 white shorts were introduced and since then various combinations of blue and white have been used by the club. In 1973 the first shirt to feature a sportswear sponsor was worn by United. Made by Admiral, the shirt was based on an earlier Birmingham City shirt and was the first to feature red detailing. Since then red detailing became a common feature on Carlisle shirts.

The first evidence of Carlisle wearing a crest dates to the 1950–51 season, first adorning it in a FA Cup tie against Arsenal. The design itself was based on the city's own coat of arms which was registered at the College of Arms in 1924. The crest itself may have been derived from Sir William de Carlyell of Cumberland, in the reign of Edward II, who bore a red cross. The supporting red wyverns to either side of the shield are a symbol of the British Kingdom of Cumbria. The motto on the underlying scroll reads: ‘Be just and fear not’, which is a quote from Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

Carlisle were often referred to as the Foxes due to the local connection with huntsman John Peel. In 1970 the club badge changed to reflect this and featured a golden fox jumping over the abbreviation C.U.F.C. The fox further became part of the club's image with a mounted stuffed fox named Olga (an anagram of "goal") which is traditionally carried onto the pitch by the mascot before the match. Later versions of this badge featured a fox's head with a castle (representing Carlisle Castle) and a fox jumping through a ring of stars, somewhat resembling the European Union emblem.

Since 1995 the club has reverted to using the city's coat of arms. However the club still sell merchandise with branding similar to their former fox badge. The club mascot (who is now Olga the Fox also) would continue the tradition of bringing the stuffed fox onto the pitch before each match, this was discontinued after flood damage suffered in 2015 caused it to rapidly deteriorate.

Sponsorship

Stobart Group, a local business, had been the club's main shirt sponsor since 1995. Before 2007 the shirt displayed the Eddie Stobart name associated with the haulage arm of the business (with the exception of the 1997–2000 shirt), in 2007 this changed to just Stobart in order to reflect the wider company. The Stobart deal ended for the 2014–15 season, ending one of the longest-running sponsorship deals in English football.

The Stobart Group have been strong supporters of the club in general. In 2010, to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary, the group bought 4,000 tickets for the League One game against Rochdale and gave them away to the general public. On 3 April 2011 Carlisle United wore black armbands in the Football League Trophy final in respect of Edward Stobart (son of Eddie), who had died three days earlier.

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Stadium

As Shaddongate United the club played at two grounds, Millholme Bank, to the south of the city, and Devonshire Park, where Trinity School now stands. In 1909, five years after becoming Carlisle United, the club moved to Brunton Park and has been there ever since.

The stadium has a capacity of 18,202 and comprises both seated and terraced areas. The four stands are known as Main (West) Stand & Paddock, the East Stand, the "Waterworks" Petteril Stand and the Warwick Road End which usually hosts the most vocal supporters on match days. In the past the stadium has been the victim of severe flooding and a fire which burned down the wooden grandstand which stood until 1953.

In 2011, a plan was introduced to move to a 12,000 capacity all-seater stadium to be built in the Kingmoor Park area of the city which was to be locally known as project Blue Yonder. Though considerably smaller than Brunton Park, the new ground could be upgraded to a larger capacity if demand was met. An extension of this 12,000 capacity is thought to rely on the club achieving promotion to the Championship. The proposals have received mixed responses from Carlisle fans. There has since been no news as to whether the project has any advancement.

In December and January of the 2015–16 season, Carlisle played their home games at Deepdale in Preston, Bloomfield Road in Blackpool and Ewood Park in Blackburn, as Brunton Park recovered from flooding caused by Storm Desmond.

In December 2021, the club announced that the stadium capacity would be temporarily reduced to 9,999, after the government required attendees at events with a capacity of greater than 10,000 to show Covid certification.

Ownership

Carlisle United operates through the limited company Carlisle United Association Football Club (1921) Ltd which is currently controlled by Castle Sports Group which has a controlling 90.0% stake in the club's holding company, CUFC Holdings Ltd. A minority (10.0%) stake is held by The United Trust, formed by supporters in 2001. Castle Sports Group is owned by the Piatak Family from Jacksonville, Florida, who own several other companies, most notably Magellan Transport Logistics, which provides transportation and logistics services throughout North America.

In 1992 property developer Michael Knighton bought the club which was then playing in Division Four, the lowest tier of the Football League. Then began a 10-year ownership in which much of the talk around the club concerned Knighton himself. At one point he was even featured in the local paper claiming to have seen a UFO, local paper the News and Star ran the story with the headline: 'Knighton: Aliens Spoke To Me'.

In 1997 Knighton dismissed popular manager Mervyn Day, who had won promotion to the Second Division and the Football League Trophy earlier that year. Knighton placed himself in charge of the club's management with the uncredited help of Dave Wilkes and John Halpin. The club was relegated to the English fourth tier that season and only narrowly avoided losing Football League status due to a last minute goal by goalkeeper Jimmy Glass in 1999. Knighton became increasingly unpopular with the fans in the following years and the supporters' United Trust was formed to push for better ownership, this came in the form of John Courtenay after a seven-month battle in July 2002, ending Michael Knighton's controversial decade-long reign

Allen, the owner of a local accountancy agency, left the board acrimoniously in 2009 when he made public a feud with fellow owners on the board stating "Unfortunately, a lot of people perceive elements within Brunton Park's hierarchy as an old boys’ club that is not receptive of change. I am unhappy being associated with that as it is not my style either personally or professionally." Since Allen left the club has gone from strength to strength having two Wembley finals under their belt including winning the JPT in April 2011 also posting healthy profits. Carlisle United released plans to move to a modern all seater stadium, however these plans fell through. Recent years have seen the club stagnate and decline both in terms of league position and attendances. The club has recently gone through its longest period in history without promotion, the last being the 2005–06 season.

Supporters and rivalries

The main area of Carlisle support can be found within and around Carlisle itself and, due to being the only professional football club for a long distance, it attracts fans from across the county of Cumbria, South West Scotland and parts of West Northumberland. The club's supporters are known as the Blue Army. The most vocal supporters on match days reside in Brunton Park's Warwick Road End, known affectionately to the fans as The Warwick. In addition to generic English football chants Carlisle's supporters sing "Proud to be a Cumbrian", "Super Carlisle from the North" and an adapted version of Peggy March's, "I Will Follow Him".

Carlisle's traditional rivals are Workington and Barrow. However, both clubs were voted out of the Football League in the 1970s and consequently competitive matches between the teams have been rare. Barrow were promoted back to the Football League in 2020, reinstating competitive matches between the two teams. Prior to 2008, the club's nearest professional football club was Gretna, owned by Carlisle United fan Brooks Mileson. Gretna played in the Scottish Football League however and, therefore, the chance of meeting in competitive competition remained highly unlikely. Gretna was eventually liquidated in 2008.

In 2012, market research company FFC surveyed fans of every Football League club across the country to find who they consider their main rivals to be. Carlisle United fans were unusually shown to consider the more distant Preston North End, Hartlepool United and Middlesbrough as their main rivals. This is most likely explained by the fact that the survey did not include the option of choosing non-league clubs (including Workington, Barrow etc).

Players

Current squad

As of 15 Aug 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Under 18's squad players named in First Team squads

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Player of the Season

Carlisle's Player of the Season award is voted for by the club's supporters.

Notable players

Hall of Fame

"A selection of the people we have all watched from the terraces, often in awe, through the ages here at Brunton Park." - carlisleunited.co.uk

Club management

Coaching positions

As of 22 June 2026

Notable managers

The following managers have all achieved honours with Carlisle United.

(n/a) = Information not available

Honours

League

Second Division (level 2)

Promoted: 1973–74

Third Division (level 3)

Champions: 1964–65

Runners-up: 1981–82

Fourth Division / Third 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

Football League Trophy

Winners: 1996–97, 2010–11

Runners-up: 1994–95, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2009–10

Cumberland Senior Cup

Winners (29): 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 history

To date Carlisle United have played 82 seasons in the Football League, their relegation in 2004 and reinstatement the following year remains the only departure from the Football League since the club was first admitted in 1928 (excluding wartime). United are currently the only club to have reached the final of the Football League Trophy on six occasions. This, alongside their two wins, makes them the most successful club in the competition's history. The club's highest achievement outside of cup competitions came in 1974 when the club was promoted to the first tier of English football and spent a short period of time at the top of the division. Carlisle still remains the smallest location in England, by local population, to have had a resident top-flight football team since 1906.

Club records

As of 7 Jan 2021.

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

Best FA Trophy performance: 5th Round, 2004–05

Best Anglo-Italian Cup performance: Group Stage, 1972

Record Victory: 8–0 vs. Hartlepools United Division Three North, 1 September 1928

Record Defeat: 1–11 vs. Hull City Division Three North, 14 January 1939

Most League Goals: 113, Division 4, 1963–64

Most Wins In a Row: 8 Wins, 1 October 2016 to 9 November 2016

Most league goals in a season: Jimmy McConnell, 42 goals, 1928–29

Most league goals in total: Jimmy McConnell, 126 goals, 1928–32

Most league appearances: Alan Ross, 466, 1963–79

Most capped player: Eric Welsh, 4 caps, Northern Ireland 1965-69

Record transfer fee: Joe Garner, £140,000 from Blackburn Rovers