Carlisle chairman issues statement on club’s relegation to National League with vow to fans

Carlisle United chairman Tom Piatak issues a solid statement on the club’s relegation to the National League with a vow to fans.

The Cumbrians knew they needed to win and for Tranmere Rovers to fail to win at home to Crewe Alexandra for there to be a chance of survival.

But Tranmere won 2-0 to leave the gap to safety at an insurmountable seven points going into the final game of the campaign.

After the game, Piatak expressed deep regret, acknowledging the pain and frustration felt by fans and taking full responsibility as owners.

He vowed to rebuild the club with urgency, stating that a comprehensive review of football performance, recruitment, culture, structure, and operations is already underway.

He emphasised continued financial backing, ongoing positive discussions with head coach Mark Hughes, and a clear objective to build a promotion-capable squad supported by modern infrastructure.

Piatak thanked fans for their unwavering support, citing their loyalty as the foundation for the club’s future, and promised transparency and accountability moving forward.

Carlisle have been relegated to the National League. pic.twitter.com/ZIWOup2tkm

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 26, 2025

STATEMENT:

Dear Carlisle United Supporters,

Today’s result confirms our relegation from Sky Bet League Two. Let us start by saying this clearly: we are deeply sorry. This is a painful day for everyone connected to Carlisle United. The frustration and anger felt across the fanbase is fully shared by us. As owners, we take responsibility – and we are committed to correcting what has gone wrong and rebuilding this club with urgency and purpose.

The season started with ambition and hope. But the performances and results simply weren’t good enough. A strong finish in April couldn’t undo the damage of earlier failures. The table doesn’t lie – we fell short of the standards you rightly expect.

Yet in the face of that, your loyalty has been extraordinary. From 11,000 at Brunton Park on Good Friday to almost 1,000 of you in Cheltenham today, you’ve never stopped showing up. That unwavering support is the soul of this football club. It deserves better.

In recent weeks, Mark Hughes has helped rebuild the connection between the team and supporters. It’s a small but important step. It shows what this club can still become – and underlines how far we still have to go.

That’s why a full, top-to-bottom review of Carlisle United is already underway. Football performance. Recruitment. Culture. Structure. Day-to-day operations. Everything is being examined. There will be no shortcuts. No excuses. No sacred cows. Where change is needed, change will happen.

Throughout the season, we ensured the club had the financial backing to compete. That backing will continue. Relegation does not change our long-term vision – or our commitment – to get this club back on its feet and moving forward.

Planning for next season is already in motion. Discussions with Mark Hughes are ongoing and positive. The objective is clear: build a squad capable of promotion, backed by professional standards and modern infrastructure.

We’ll have more to share with you after the final match. We will be transparent. We will be accountable. And we will not hide from the work ahead.

To every supporter who stood by us this year – thank you. You are the foundation we will rebuild on. You are why this club still has a future worth fighting for.

Now the mission is simple: To rebuild. To rise. To return.

That work starts now.

UTB,

Tom Piatak – Chairman
On behalf of the Board and Ownership Group

Carlisle United boss Mark Hughes said: On the game, Mark said: “Today it was difficult for us. I thought once we’d gone into the lead we just needed to retain that lead for a little bit longer so that we could get that control that we needed in our play. It was a little bit erratic today.

“Unfortunately, the referee has played a part today. I’m really disappointed in the officials’ display. Gabe clearly has touched the ball and knocked it away from him for the penalty decision.

“If it was a foul, the ball would have run out for a corner. It didn’t because Gabe got a touch on the ball. The lad runs into Gabe. It’s not one that you can give. I asked the referee if he was 100% certain, which clearly he couldn’t be, but he seemed to think he was. That really just affected us, I felt.

“Then we obviously conceded again. We should have had better courage and better belief in that second half and got back on level terms. Then the draw wasn’t good enough for us, so we had to go for it and we just got caught on the break.

“I can’t criticise the guys too much today. They gave everything as they have done in recent weeks and I thank them for that. Today, it was just one step too far.

“We couldn’t control what was going on at other grounds, so we just had to try and do what we had to do here. Unfortunately, we came up short.”

“We were away from home and we’re having to ask questions of a good team. We have to keep on sometimes overextending ourselves, throwing bodies forward, so you’re likely to get caught on the break on occasion. You just hope on those occasions you deal with those situations really well, but a couple of times we didn’t do that.

“We scored two good goals. Georgie on another day could have had a hat-trick. Matty as well could have scored two or three. We created chances once again, asked questions of a good team, but the reality is the situation we found ourselves in wasn’t one ultimately that we could turn around.

“I’ve got to thank the players since I’ve come in. I think they’ve been excellent in terms of what they’ve tried to do. They’ve tried to implement what we talked about and I thank them for that.

“But today we just came up a little bit short, as we have done in the season.”

On if he could put his finger on where things had gone wrong, he said: “I’ve got a few ideas in that regard. I’ve got my thoughts on that, but it’s not the time or the place now.

“It’s going to be difficult for the club and everybody connected, but the key is that we bounce back very, very quickly.

“We got to the last but one Saturday and I don’t think anybody gave us any hope of getting that close to the end of the season and still being with a chance of staying up. Up to a point we were affected in a positive manner, but the ultimate aim was to clearly stay in the league and we haven’t been able to do that.”

On whether he had spoken to the owners about what might happen next season, he said: “It’s not the time or the place. It’s certainly not today and 20 minutes after a game, so I’m sure there’ll be conversations taking place soon.”

His message to the fans: “Everybody’s disappointed today. We had great support once again.

“I think they could see that the team was really trying to at least win this game and give ourselves a fighting chance to be able to get to the last game of the season. In the end, that opportunity was taken away from us.

“We thank them once again. It’s been a really hard season for everybody connected with Carlisle United, not least the fans, but they’ll be there again.

“The love for the club is on show every time we play, so we don’t take it for granted. We don’t expect it. You have to obviously earn their respect.

“I think they’ve understood it was a difficult situation and they’ve got behind us really, really well once again today. We’ve just come up a little bit short.”

🗣️ Mark Hughes speaks after relegation is confirmed. pic.twitter.com/DBZywmp0Lv

— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) April 26, 2025

Twitter users reacted as the Carlisle chairman issues a statement on club’s relegation to National League with a vow to fans…

@blue_army_tv: Please stop talking about promotion, we’ve heard that before. Stability and a rebuild NEEDS to be the aim

@ShAnEg23:
Mark has to stay ✅
Rob ❌
Gregg ❌
N C ❌
Clear your desks
🔵⚪️🔵⚪️

@PhilHowe1985: Positive statement. I think the owners need to surround themselves with ‘football people’ & unfortunately have been let down with their current regime. The support is unquestionable from the Family. UTB 💙

@LucasFranki: We will be back stronger. Hughes has been brilliant and can take this club forward on the football side of things, he may have connections for people in other crucial roles. Carlisle will come back stronger with the fans and owners sticking together. UTB

@LSpireites: We know how grim it can be in VNL. As a Spireite, I felt aggrieved that 50% of away days were within the M25 or further. Feel for you there. Just start the rebuild with a win next Saturday to bow out of the league in style 🙏. We’ll be forever grateful. #BluesTogether

@custom_casuals: Gutted to see you drop from a Notts County fan in peace! The National League was a huge reset for my club. The national league is a league of pace and power. We went up by signing some of the best players from clubs at that level and beneath who were buzzing to play for us.

@D_Stokoe: You mention the fans loyalty, remember that when releasing Season Ticket prices

@DavidJav9954: I dread to think about the relegation clauses and how much this will cost us. We’ll be there through thick n thin though! Please keep Mark Hughes!!!

@FtblJosh9:A very positive statement, very brave aswell to say you are doing a full review and everyone will be examined. If two people in particular are still at the club in the summer then we know this was just words with no real meaning.

@plimmer_da12580: The club needs stability, so Hughes needs to stay and oversee what’s going to be a turbulent summer. Emotions are running high, but we all love this club and want success. Changes in personnel on and off the field are needed. lets regroup and go again UTB 💙

@fish_blues: Perfect message for me! Yes mistakes been made but would rather be in this situation with the owners than without them. They are learning and will learn quickly. Let’s sort this and move upwards! #cufc

@BruntonBark: Good statement. Top to bottom review long overdue but so necessary. Every single individual in the club needs to be reviewed, because every individual has played a part in back to back relegations – and that sounds like the intention.

@Craigk76: Hughes and Hodges have to stay, clibbens and Abbott have to go, Clarkson is walking the plank followed by a big clearout of playing staff #UTBs

@Davvytommo: I feel for the piateks, they’ve handed pound after pound over in good faith. I think they genuinely want the best for the club. This time please get some good advisors in. For me try keep hughes. His contacts in the game will be huge.

@Matthewgaskell9: A proper review will mean rob clarkson is gone so let’s wait and see what happens

@olliecardus_: not a bad statement that

@ShAnEg23:👏👏 Great words and it’s time to get rid of the rot on wards and upwards

@stewelsh: That’s exactly the message I hoped for tbh. Can’t fault that

HAVE YOUR SAY –

Can you see Carlisle coming straight back up next season, or will they struggle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or tweet us @fan_banter