Football Season Review

Carlisle started the season with three humiliating defeats in which they recorded a goal diference of 1:13. Greg Abbott was not given the opportunity to turn the Cumbrians' fortunes around, as he was fired only six games into the season, with his side sitting at the bottom of the table with only two points collected. Graham Kavanagh was named interim boss following Abbott's departure, and went on to win his opening three games in charge, therefore securing himself the Carlisle managerial post on a permanent basis. Predictably, the Cumbrians were unable to maintain the early momentum shown under the rookie manager, but they remained rather competitive, and sat in lower midtable between November and late January. However, things started turning sour in early February, as several first team regulars got injured at the same time, forcing Kavanagh to field experimental lineups and formations on a regular basis. Key players such as Paul Thirlwell, Matty Robson, Lee Miller and Pascal Chimbonda were among those who missed a large chunk of Carlisle's final twenty games, and their absences really told, as Kavanagh's men managed to win only one of their final fifteen fixtures, with the abysmal run sealing their relegation. Kavanagh will remain at the helm next season despite the relegation, and the inexperienced manager has a big job ahead of him, as he needs to try to reverse the momentum of a club that has been in a steady decline for two years now. Kavanagh has already let some players leave, including Lee Miller, and the number of players who will leave Carlisle in the summer is expected to be in double digits. The rookie manager will be actively searching for new faces, as he will be looking to make the Carlisle squad his own and help the Cumbrians return to League One at the first time of asking.

Player of the Season: David Amoo