Carlisle United have dropped out of the English Football League (EFL) after Saturday’s loss to Cheltenham Town sealed the U.S.-owned club’s relegation.
Carlisle’s 3-2 defeat to Cheltenham ensured Mark Hughes’s side will play next season in England’s fifth-tier National League, marking a dramatic decline since they were promoted to League One via the play-offs in May 2023.
Tranmere Rovers, who occupy 22nd-place in League Two, defeated Crewe Alexandra 2-0 on Saturday, leaving Carlisle, in 23rd, an insurmountable seven points behind Tranmere going into the final matchday, bringing their 20-year stay in the EFL to an end.
Former Wales and Manchester City boss Hughes became the club’s third manager in a turbulent season when he replaced Mike Williamson in February, and he has won five of his 17 games in charge.
He said in February part of the problems he inherited were “massive discrepancies in some players’ fitness in comparison to others”.
Hughes was appointed by the Castle Sports Group, the Florida-based owners led by Tom Piatak and his family, who took over in November 2023, pledging to transform the club into a “regional powerhouse of the north” and fund a climb up the league pyramid.
But they did not have time to prevent an immediate return to League Two at the end of last season and now, despite significant investment in new players, managers and at their 17,949-capacity Brunton Park stadium, the Cumbrian outfit have plummeted again.
Speaking to The Athletic in January, Piatak said he was disappointed that the club had not been in contention for promotion this season and emphasised his determination that they should avoid relegation.
However — despite an upturn in form in recent weeks — they still faced the prospect of needing to win both their remaining two games, including today’s fixture at Cheltenham, and hope that Tranmere dropped points, with neither outcome coming to fruition.
(Main image of Carlisle manager Mark Hughes, via Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)