The lost winners...Blues' play-off heroes all gone in under two years

Yahoo

19-05-2025

And then there were none. Carlisle United's retained and released list closed the door in terms of personnel on the most memorable Blues day of recent times.
Remember Wembley 2023? That day is still less than two years old. Yet there is no longer a single player from United's starting XI or substitutes remaining at Brunton Park. The majority of the backroom staff are also now gone.
Football moves quickly, yet the consequences of the rise and then the fall could not be more stark here. Who, on that sun-dappled day in London, when Carlisle defeated Stockport County on penalties in the League Two play-off final, would have predicted a complete change of cast, a totally new identity, less than 24 months later?
United's announcements last Friday severed the last links with that team, that day. Callum Guy, who started the final, and Taylor Charters, who so memorably scored the winning penalty, were the last two survivors in a playing respect.
Carlisle do still have others who were there, but neither Gabe Breeze nor Jack Ellis were in the squad. Keeper Breeze was yet to make his first-team graduation while Ellis was nursing a thigh injury as he sat on the bench.
In terms of those who had their boots on…all gone. Some kicked their last ball for the Blues that day, others remained for the tortuous League One campaign that followed, a further group made it as far as 2024/25 but either did not last the full season or went by the end.
Into the pages of history, then, goes May 28, 2023: a day of lost nostalgia already.
Here is a look at where those players and coaches are now.
TOMAS HOLY
The big keeper, who saved Ryan Rydel's penalty in the shoot-out, lost his place twice in the 2023/24 League One season and was then released in the summer. Now playing in the Czech third tier with FK Banik Most-sous.
Tomas Holy (Image: Richard Parkes)
JOEL SENIOR
Wing-back Senior, who was involved in Omari Patrick's equaliser, was released despite helping the Blues to promotion. He went on to join Morecambe before stepping up to League One with Bristol Rovers, who were relegated last season.
Joel Senior (Image: Richard Parkes)
JACK ARMER
On the left, Armer remained a defensive mainstay for Carlisle in League One but, after relegation, his time at Brunton Park was up. The former Preston man signed for Burton Albion, helping the Brewers avoid the drop to League Two in his first campaign at the Pirelli Stadium.
Jack Armer, right (Image: Richard Parkes)
COREY WHELAN
Whelan, a reliable defensive head as Carlisle got over the line in May 2023, struggled for regular involvement thereafter. Midway through 2023/24 he was left off the Blues' squad list before being released in the summer. Now with AFC Fylde, who have just been relegated to National League North.
Corey Whelan (Image: PA)
PAUL HUNTINGTON
The veteran Cumbrian captain led Carlisle into League One, but was a less regular pick in defence than imagined as United plotted their way through a failed third-tier journey. After being released following relegation, he made an autumn move to Bradford City and has just enjoyed another promotion, this time automatic. Has been invited back for training by the Bantams ahead of next season.
Paul Huntington (Image: Richard Parkes)
JON MELLISH
The popular defender, who scored an unfortunate own-goal in the play-off final before smacking home a shoot-out penalty (followed by some choice words to the Stockport fans) remained at the heart of Carlisle's team for the next season and a half, before a return to League One presented itself in January 2025. He went on to join Wigan Athletic, and a further third-tier season awaits him now.
Jon Mellish (Image: Richard Parkes)
CALLUM GUY
The last player from the starting line-up to leave, midfielder Guy has just been released after a respected five-and-a-half year spell with the Blues. His steadfast service to the team was disrupted latterly by injury and illness, and Guy now moves on to seek a fresh opportunity.
Callum Guy (Image: PA)
OWEN MOXON
The pride of Denton Holme was always a prospect to move on to higher things after his stellar 2022/23 season. Man of the match at Wembley, and a shoot-out scorer, Moxon remained with the Blues until midway through the following season, when he joined title-bound Portsmouth. Dropped back from the Championship to League One with Stockport County a year later and has just suffered play-off semi-final defeat.
Owen Moxon, left, with Josh Dixon (Image: Richard Parkes)
ALFIE MCCALMONT
The midfielder was on loan from Leeds United when Carlisle enjoyed their day in the Wembley sun. He duly signed a two-year permanent deal but United's League One struggles gathered pace and McCalmont, after being punished by the club for his involvement in a late-season night out, left in the summer of 2024 to join Australian A-League club Central Coast Mariners.
Alfie McCalmont (Image: Richard Parkes)
JOE GARNER
Veteran striker Garner tasted promotion with Carlisle in his fourth spell with the club. He remained a willing line-leader in League One as the Blues otherwise struggled, and come last January the offer of a longer deal at Oldham Athletic saw him leave. Now aiming for another promotion with the Latics, having helped fire them into the National League play-off semi-finals.
Joe Garner, far left (Image: Richard Parkes)
JOHN-KYMANI GORDON
The former Crystal Palace loanee played the last game of his United spell at Wembley, after which he had two further loan spells, with Cambridge United and AFC Wimbledon, in 2023/24. Then he left Selhurst Park permanently and has just completed his first season with League Two club Colchester United.
JK Gordon (Image: Richard Parkes)
MICHAEL KELLY
The second-choice goalkeeper was released soon after the final, having only made cup appearances for the Blues. Moved onto MK Dons before a switch to Accrington Stanley, where he remains after his first season at the Wham Stadium.
Michael Kelly (Image: Richard Parkes)
JORDAN GIBSON
Gibson, who came off the bench at Wembley to play his part in Carlisle's equaliser, stepped up brightly in League One and top scored with nine goals. Yet his season ended frustratingly, also involved in that night out (see McCalmont) and Gibson was released. Has swiftly bounced back to the third tier after helping Doncaster Rovers win the League Two title in 2024/25.
Jordan Gibson, centre (Image: Richard Parkes)
RYAN EDMONDSON
One of the penalty shoot-out scorers after coming off the bench, Edmondson's subsequent Carlisle season ended at the midway point, as he accepted an offer to head Down Under with Central Coast Mariners, where he remains after helping the Aussie club win the treble in 2023/24.
Ryan Edmondson (Image: Richard Parkes)
OMARI PATRICK
The substitute whose spine-tingling equaliser revived United's chances at Wembley, Patrick left after promotion, his wish to be regarded as a winger going unsatisfied in talks with the Blues and boss Paul Simpson. Joined Sutton United, who were then relegated from League Two, before a move to Tranmere Rovers saw Patrick play a decisive part in their fourth-tier survival last term.
Omari Patrick (Image: Richard Parkes)
KRISTIAN DENNIS
The 20-goal man of 2022/23 scored United's first penalty in the shoot-out, having come off the bench at Wembley. Dennis duly turned down a new one-year deal in favour of two at Tranmere. In his second season at Prenton Park he scored vital goals to help keep them up, and he's just signed new one-year terms there.
Kristian Dennis, left (Image: Richard Parkes)
TAYLOR CHARTERS
The Maryport midfielder, who scored the dramatic shoot-out winner after coming off the bench in the second half (and then uttered the immortal words, 'Not bad, eh'), has just seen his long association with the Blues come to an end. Academy product Charters, who ended 2024/25 on loan with Queen of the South, was among the eight players released last week and will now look for a new challenge.
Taylor Charters (Image: Richard Parkes)
JACK ROBINSON
On loan from Middlesbrough at Wembley, unused sub Robinson went on to join permanently, and made a handful of starts in League One as Carlisle floundered. After spending much of 2024/25 on the fringes, he left on February's deadline day to join Hartlepool United in the National League.
Jack Robinson, left, with Ryan Edmondson (Image: PA)
PAUL SIMPSON (manager)
After so memorably taking Carlisle up and achieving his third Blues promotion in the process, Simpson could not keep them in League One and, after crashing back down, a poor start to 2024/25 back in League Two spelled the end, as he left at the end of August. Now assistant head coach with the Jamaica national team.
Paul Simpson (Image: Richard Parkes)
GAVIN SKELTON (assistant manager)
The Cumbrian, who had long been on United's books as academy coach and at first-team level, was Simpson's No2 on that memorable day. Skelton remained in that role until the August 31, 2024 decisions that ended the Simmo reign. He went on to join Hartlepool United as first-team coach.
Gavin Skelton, third right (Image: Richard Parkes)
PAUL GERRARD (goalkeeping coach)
Gerrard was a trusted part of Simpson's regime after coming in from Doncaster Rovers in February 2022, his skills as goalkeeping coach and set-piece organiser to the fore. But he left shortly before 2023's pre-season, and later linked up with Peterborough United.
Paul Gerrard, centre (dark blue kit) (Image: Richard Parkes)
CHRIS BRUNSKILL (head physio)
The Cumbrian had, by Wembley, been United's head physio for five months, having returned to Brunton Park after a spell at Blackburn Rovers to succeed Ross Goodwin. Brunskill then opted to leave last May, citing family commitments. He now runs his own physiotherapy business, CB Physiotherapy, based at the Sheepmount with DA Human Mechanics.
Chris Brunskill (Image: Barbara Abbott)
GEOFF HAUGH (rehab coach)
The experienced Haugh, who had been part of Simpson's regime in the manager's previous spell, returned to work alongside the Blues boss second time around as rehab coach. He remained part of the backroom team until Simpson's departure early in the 2024/25, after which Haugh also decided to leave.
Geoff Haugh (Image: Barbara Abbott)
COLIN NIXON (kitman)
Nixon, a popular figure at Brunton Park, was United's kitman from 2009. After being part of the backroom team at Wembley he remained until the closing stages of 2023/24 before retiring from the role in March.
Colin Nixon gives Kristian Dennis a piggy-back in the Wembley celebrations (Image: PA)JAMIE ROPER (strength & conditioning coach)
Roper held the S&C role at Brunton Park from May 2022 to September 2023 before leaving the club. He now runs his own coaching business, JR Physical Performance.
Jamie Roper, left, pictured with Gavin Skelton (Image: Ben Holmes)
GREG ABBOTT (head of recruitment)
The former manager returned to Carlisle in May 2022 as Paul Simpson's second reign began to unfold. Three years on, he has left the club in the wake of relegation to the National League.
Greg Abbott (Image: Richard Parkes)
Other players on United's books at Wembley who have since left include: Ben Barclay, Tobi Sho-Silva, Kai Nugent, Morgan Feeney, Brennan Dickenson, Josh Dixon, Jayden Harris and Fin Back. Jamie Devitt also departed but later returned as academy coach and then first-team coach, while analyst Jacob Blain remains. United's head media officer, Andy Hall, has also since moved on.