Exclusive: Don Goodman drops Carlisle United claim - National League promotion can happen on one condition | OneFootball

Carlisle United face a tough season ahead in the National League, following relegation from League Two

Carlisle United will be playing their football outside of England’s top four divisions next season.

It’s been a stark drop, having gained promotion to League One just two seasons ago before suffering back-to-back relegations.

The Cumbrians now face a tough fight to climb back into the Football League, but plenty of clubs have shown it’s not a simple task.

We asked Sky Sports pundit and former EFL striker Don Goodman whether he thinks they can bounce straight back.

Carlisle United backed to fight for National League promotion

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman said: “It’s massively disappointing, isn't it? To see Carlisle end up relegated to the National League.

“American owners came in, not that long ago, spent some money, maybe their decision making hasn't been as good as it should have been, and ultimately they've ended up being relegated.

“So, it's disappointing. They've gone down swinging, so that will at least be a positivity.

“Can they keep Mark Hughes at the football club? I haven't read whether he's staying or whether he's going. Can they keep the bulk of the players?

“If so, then you'd have to back them to be towards the top end of the National League next season.”

Fate of previous relegated sides will trouble the Cumbrians

Carlisle’s story is, unfortunately, a familiar one, and judging how the drop went for other clubs that have gone before them will not provide much comfort.

Stockport County, who United beat in the League Two play-off final in 2022/23 to earn their League One spot, suffered back-to-back relegations into non-league in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons, spending a full 11 years out of the Football League system.

A similar fate has befallen the likes of Wrexham, Scunthorpe United, Oldham and Rochdale to name just a few.

However, the one saving grace for the Cumbrians is that many of those sides faced severe financial and ownership issues, leaving them with little resource for what is a difficult fight to get back into League Two.

Thankfully for Carlisle, they do have owners willing to invest, with manager Mark Hughes is bullish about the owners staying the course and rebuilding the club from their current position.

His own future is still being worked out, but as Goodman says, if they can find a way to keep a manager with his level of experience on board, it will be a strong start to the considerable task ahead.

With only one automatic promotion spot, and another through the play-offs, the National League is one of the most difficult divisions to get out of, especially alongside dealing with the financial readjustments of relegation.

If the Piatak family can shield the club from some of that with their resources, and hold as much as the current squad together as possible, then they certainly should be strong contenders in the league.

But with the likes of Oldham and Rochdale stuck in that league, they will not be the only big, traditionally Football League club desperate to get out.