Carlisle's American dream goes south as Man Utd legend Mark Hughes suffers EFL relegation

"Let us start by saying this clearly: we are deeply sorry." chairman Tom Piatak has got used to writing relegation statements.

That's because during his American family's 18 cash-happy football-miserable months in charge at Brunton Park, the Cumbrians have suffered back-to-back relegations. And this time, it wasn't a predictable return to after magic wore off, it was a shocking demotion to non-league.

Those of a certain age - including myself - have never watched Carlisle play a match in the fifth tier, while a good portion of the club's loyal supporters fondly remember the hazy days of the Blues playing in the old First Division in the 1974-75 season. Fifty years on from Carlisle's most famous campaign, though, came their worst.

A sickening cocktail of record transfers, lucrative contracts, two managers sacked, 33 players used and a so-called modernisation of the club has, in reality, sent them back 21 years - the last time that they were in the . Local hero Simpson - who was given the grace of an ill-prepared season after winning - only lasted four league games, despite the family having 'tremendous faith' in him two weeks prior and spending heavily on his targets in the summer.

, a young coach staunchly wedded to a possession-based style of play, was poached from , who'd been . It seemed like a progressive appointment but Carlisle went backwards.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

It took a 5-1 thrashing at home to at the end of January for the Piataks to finally put the former defender out of his misery - even though they'd just made 11 signings under his and new sporting director Rob Clarkson's watch. Williamson's football never captured the hearts of the Brunton Park faithful nor enough points to render the experiment anything but an abject failure.

So if you can't do a Wrexham, get a manager from Wrexham. hometown club have shown everyone how it's done - if you've got the money, of course.

legend Hughes had been out of work for more than a year, having been axed by in what he labelled 'ludicrous' circumstances. The manager guided the Bantams to a play-off finish the season prior when they were beaten by Carlisle in the semi-finals.

Will Carlisle United bounce back next season? Give us your prediction in the .

Hughes, disliked by sections of the Carlisle fan base thanks to his time at Bradford, was a surprise appointment - certainly not the profile of head coach that the club had sought out after Simpson's sacking. The 61-year-old was tasked with keeping them in the Football League, but their relegation was confirmed with the Cumbrians more points away from safety than when he took over, despite a statistically better record than Williamson.

But in Piatak's statement, released following Saturday's meek 3-2 loss at , the American businessman and former US Army captain described talks with Hughes as 'ongoing and positive'. It suggests that the Welshman has been doing enough right in the family's eyes to keep his rolling contract going into next season.

The more optimistic supporters at Brunton Park believe that Hughes has been a breath of fresh air, a stark contrast to Williamson thanks to his more direct and flexible approach in games, and straight-talking manner in interviews. There was no new manager bounce, however, with Hughes bemoaning the squad's alleged lack of fitness after just one win from his first eight games.

Yes, damage had already been done, but Hughes wasn't fixing whatever scale of problem Carlisle faced. A mid-April resurgence was eventually sparked, much thanks to Georgie Kelly's belated return from injury, to give the Blues an inkling of hope.

The hitman has scored five goals since April 5, damningly making him Carlisle's joint top-goalscorer, overtaking centre-back Sam Lavelle. That's alongside January arrival Matthew Dennis, who looked like a Hail Mary signing, as the Cumbrians' winter recruitment drive left them with four strikers who only had 11 EFL goals in their respective careers between them.

"Time will tell," Clarkson regarding his decision not to bring in a proven striker, despite all of the money spent and resources used in their new data-led strategy. And so it has, leaving 38-year-old Clarkson - who'd never held the position of sporting director at any of his previous clubs - to become one of the faces of Carlisle's great failure, having only arrived in November.

There've been so many questionable decisions, so many disappointments, so many instances of standards being dropped, it's difficult to know where to start when the Piataks, Clarkson, CEO Nigel Clibbens and even some players - all of whom will forever be marked by this catastrophe on their CVs - sift through the wreckage of this dreadful campaign. Whether or not Hughes will be involved remains to be seen; with his record currently standing at five wins, five draws, and seven losses after 17 games.

But one thing that whoever's calling the shots next season can rely on is the incredible - and I mean incredible - support of the club's fans. Their home crowds and away followings regularly rank highly compared to other League Two teams, remarkable when you consider their form and the fact they're situated just below the Scottish border.

There were nearly 1,000 travelling fans watching down at Cheltenham as their beloved club's EFL status slipped away, having packed Brunton Park with 10,000 home supporters on Good Friday when they beat leaders 3-2. You might've seen on social media over the weekend that next term's journey to face in the National League will be a 14-hour round trip from Carlisle.

But they'll be there, the Blue Army. "That unwavering support is the soul of this football club," Piatak wrote. "It deserves better."

The Florida-based family's commitment to Carlisle - both the club and city - can't be questioned from a financial perspective. After a £4.8million outlay in their first few months following the club's takeover, a further £2m was injected in February.

Carlisle's accounts for the 2023-24 season recently revealed that a further £4m will be needed next term in order to fulfil their financial projections. Within those accounts, a backdated statement from the chairman declares that Carlisle are 'poised for greatness' - hardly common for a team who'd eventually finish 91st out of 92 this season - and reiterates the much-ridiculed 'Own The North' slogan.

Praise is due for the improvements made to the club's infrastructure. Their underperforming, rudderless squad have been treated to luxury surroundings both at home and away; a new training ground is progressing; and the matchday experience at Brunton Park is markedly improved - the reason why families keep coming back week after week in spite of what they're seeing on the pitch from the most expensive Carlisle squad ever assembled.

The 'realistic and achievable' goal which Piatak spoke of in 2023 was to become a mid-table club within three to five years. For that pipe dream to come true, they'll have to emulate Wrexham - correctly, this time.

Let these past 18 months be a lesson because Carlisle's attempt at owning the north has gone south.

and receive your daily dose of content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our .