Latest news with #ReganLinney
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carlisle United end 'hard' pre-season with victory in Chester
CARLISLE United first-team coach Gav Skelton has reflected on a 'hard' pre-season for the Blues. The Blues ended their 2025/26 pre-season campaign with a 2-0 victory against Calum McIntyre's Chester at the Deva Stadium. Elliot Embleton's penalty and an own goal from Chester's Tom Leak sealed the result for the Blues who were supported by over 300 travelling Cumbrians. After the fixture, Carlisle United's first team coach Gav Skelton reflected on the 'positive result'. Speaking to the News & Star, he said: "It's a positive result although it is pre-season. "It breeds confidence and its not just 2-0, I thought we were convincing, I don't think we have been troubled too many times which shows a good resilience right through the team defensively, out from the keeper, the back four, and the whole team. "Ultimately you have got to score goals and we have done that by scoring two goals and have won 2-0 quit comfortably I think." Skelton also piled the praise on Carlisle United forward Regan Linney after his performance against the Seals. A performance which saw him test Chester goalkeeper Lewys Benjamin on several occasions as well as winning the Blues spot kick with some slick footwork and delivering the cross which was deflected by an opposition defender into his own goal. He said: "He is a threat, other teams were looking at him and we are lucky enough to have him. "He has done it in pre-season, now can he go and continue his form from last season at Altrincham into the real stuff for us. "He has been pleasing and promising and he will be going in confident and adapted to the group, so it has been a really promising pre-season, as it has been for a number of them. Carlisle United's attentions will now turn to their first National League when they travel to Woking on Saturday, August 9. However, ahead of stepping up preparation for this first fixture, Skelton reflected on the club's pre-season campaign. He said: "It has been a hard pre-season and I think you would hear that from the players as well. "You get a bit of a reward when you get good results in pre-season and hopefully it builds a bit of confidence and belief, not just amongst he players but throughout the whole club and supporters which we need to take into the season.
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hughes' verdict on Harrogate win and "exciting" Linney
Mark Hughes was pleased with Carlisle United's new-look strikeforce and the Blues' game management in their 2-0 pre-season win at Harrogate Town. Goals from strikers Regan Linney and Luke Armstrong earned United victory in their penultimate friendly. It was a first ever win for United at the Exercise Stadium and a third successive victory in pre-season as the Cumbrians continue building towards the 2025/26 National League campaign. Hughes felt it was a 'professional' display to earn the spoils against Simon Weaver's League Two side. 'I was really pleased,' said the Carlisle head coach. 'Harrogate are only one week away from their first league game, so this was a really important game for them, and I thought we showed a lot of control, certainly in the first half, when we were good value for the lead. 'In the second half, they went a little bit more direct and tried to get runners and pressed us a little bit more, but I thought we were comfortable and managed the game out very, very comfortably. READ MORE: Jon Colman's big match verdict on Carlisle United's win at Harrogate Town 'There wasn't a lot of drama, really, so that's how I like it. So it was a good professional performance. 'The guys are picking up good confidence from playing well in a team that's functioning at the moment.' Linney scored for the third game running while Armstrong netted against his former club to bag his second goal of pre-season. Hughes admits Regan Linney's pre-season impact is exciting but feels there is even more to come from the striker (Image: Ben Holmes) They capped a positive attacking afternoon for Carlisle and Hughes was particularly pleased with that aspect of things. 'They're having chances created,' he said. 'You've got to convert them, obviously. But I thought the front three were excellent, along with many others.' Linney added a clinical finish to his earlier strikes against Harrogate Town and South Shields, and Hughes admits the summer signing's pre-season impact whets the appetite for the season ahead. 'I think he's getting to grips with the team and his new team-mates, so that takes a little bit of time, but he's hit the ground running, which is what you want,' said Hughes. 'I think there's more to come from him. We're excited by what he's produced up to this point and he's had a great start to his career here, but I think he can get better.' On the defensive side of things, United gave up a couple of big chances to Harrogate in the second half but managed to come away with a clean sheet. 'It was all at arm's length really,' said Hughes. 'There were no great dramas. I think we just made one mistake on the back pass [from trialist Jed Abbey] but apart from that I can't recall too much.' Carlisle are now in the two-week countdown to the big league kick-off at Woking on August 9, with a trip to Chester next Saturday the Blues' final friendly. Hughes confirms Dutch-born midfielder who's on trial with Carlisle United Hughes says he is seeing positive signs of certain things being put into practice by his players, as well as United's match readiness growing. 'At the end of the day it was important to get more minutes into the guys who are going to have a bigger part to play in the season,' said Hughes, who gave first 90-minute outings of pre-season to Linney, Armstrong, Terell Thomas and Aaron Hayden. 'In terms of the performance, we work on triggers and we work on recognising situations where we can go with good numbers and affect the opposition, so that worked to a good extent. 'Pretty much most of the game, we recognised when we can go. We didn't go individually, we went collectively, and that's why we were able to win the ball back in good areas.'
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Linney opens Carlisle United account in victory over AFC Fylde
AFC Fylde 0 Carlisle United 2: Regan Linney opened his Carlisle account and Luke Armstrong was also on target in a pre-season win at AFC Fylde. The forwards both struck in the first half as Mark Hughes' side claimed their first victory of the summer. Armstrong drilled United in front on 12 minutes before summer signing Linney fired his first Blues goal on the half-hour mark. Sub Georgie Kelly came close to a third while Gabe Breeze made some good saves to keep a clean sheet at the other end. Carlisle were more impressive in the first half than the second at Mill Farm with forwards Armstrong and ex-Altrincham man Linney to the fore, while teenage defender Hayden Atkinson impressed at the back. Hughes gave his outfield starters an hour before making ten substitutions, with keeper Breeze playing the full game and Josh Grant making his first Blues appearance. United's line-up for the game at Mill Farm included two summer signings in Linney and David Ajiboye, while youth team defender Atkinson got a start alongside Terell Thomas in defence. Kelly was in the squad for the first time in pre-season while new boy Josh Grant was also on the bench. Not involved again, though, were Morgan Feeney and Jordan Jones, with Stephen Wearne among other absentees. Latest signing Bevis Mugabi was with the squad at Fylde but not involved in the game. Bevis Mugabi watches his new team-mates at Fylde (Image: Ben Holmes) National League North side Fylde were captained by ex-Carlisle defender Corey Whelan, with a host of trialists in the home squad. Thomas captained United, who started well, with an attacking trio of Linney, Armstrong and Ajiboye on the front foot and the Blues backed by a strong and vocal travelling support at Mill Farm. Linney had an early chance when Josh Williams and Ajiboye combined to send Armstrong down the right, the striker taking on Corey Whelan before crossing low, and home keeper Zac Jones saving Linney's first-time finish as the summer signing cut in front of his man. Carlisle's bright start continued and, after Jack Morris's positive run for Fylde was denied, United scored. First, United forced a mistake from the home defence before Williams' throw was glanced inside by Ajiboye to Armstrong, who showed strength and determination to get away from his man and shoot low across keeper Jones and in off the far post. Luke Armstrong drills home the opener (Image: Ben Holmes) It was an impressive opening to Armstrong's pre-season account. Carlisle had some defending to do as Fylde played some neat football, but United survived a number of crosses and set-pieces. United then grew back into things as an attacking force, with Linney denied at the near post by Jones before doubling the Blues' lead on the half-hour. Elliot Embleton fed Linney with a lovely cross-field ball, with Linney then controlling, running at the defence and eventually driving it low into the net. Regan Linney scored United's second (Image: Ben Holmes) Carlisle almost ambushed Fylde for another soon afterwards, Ajiboye onside as a lofted ball found him, but Lincoln McFayden getting back to deny him. Callum Whelan then saw a shot blocked as United continued to test their hosts, but Fylde almost got one back when Ethan Mitchell's shot was tipped wide by Breeze before half-time. While Hughes made no changes at the break, Fylde boss Craig Mahon made five, with four more trialists introduced for the second half. Teenage defender Atkinson did well to see off a dangerous home attack early in the second half, and Breeze then superbly denied a trialist home sub, leaping to tip over a goalbound shot after the hosts had won it back from Williams as Carlisle tried to play out. Hughes then changes United's entire outfield line-up on the hour mark, with Josh Grant on for his first appearance among the ten changes, and Kelly on for his first summer outing. Junior Luamba almost created something on the counter-attack after another Breeze save, and then Kelly headed an Archie Davies free-kick just wide. At the other end, Breeze showed sharp reflexes to deny Fylde's trialist sub frontman when he looked set to score at the near post. Freddie O'Donoghue almost pounced on a slip from Fylde's sub trialist keeper late on, before Cedwyn Scott was hurt in a challenge and had to go off three minutes from time, youngster Atkinson coming back on. AFC Fylde: Jones (Trialist 46), Mitchell (Trialist 61), Corey Whelan (Hailwood 61), McFayden (Trialist 61), Wilson (Jackson 61), Morris (Holder 61), Trialist (Trialist 46), Ormerod (Mohammed 46), Trialist (Trialist 46), O'Kane, Meadowcroft (Trialist 46). Not used: Hailwood, Holder, Jackson, Mohammed, Trialist. Booked: Trialist. United: Breeze, Williams (Davies 61), Harper (Murray 61), Thomas (Hayden 61), Atkinson (Ellis 61), Callum Whelan (Lowes 61), Robson (Grant 61), Embleton (O'Donoghue 61), Ajiboye (Scott 61, Atkinson 88), Linney (Kelly 61), Armstrong (Luamba 61). Not used: Lewis. Goals: Armstrong 12, Linney 30. Ref: John Mulligan. Crowd: 1,077.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carlisle United players set to return for pre-season training
Carlisle's players will undergo fitness testing in the latter stages of this week, before training starts in earnest next week (Image: Ben Holmes) Carlisle United's first-team squad are set to return to training as Mark Hughes starts preparations for the new National League season. The Blues, including summer signings Regan Linney, Morgan Feeney, David Ajiboye and Junior Luamba, are poised to check back in to Brunton Park. Advertisement Training in the latter part of this week is expected to focus on fitness testing before training begins in earnest next week. It marks the start of the countdown to the 2025/26 campaign, when Carlisle will be looking to bounce back after suffering back-to-back relegations. Hughes and assistant Glyn Hodges have some 25 professionals to work with ahead of the pre-season period, which leads up to the big fifth-tier kick-off on August 9. When new signing Ajiboye tormented Carlisle United It has not yet been confirmed whether the Blues will be running the rule over any trialists, with the initial stages of pre-season set to unfold before Carlisle's six friendlies get under way with a behind-closed-doors trip to Motherwell on July 8. Advertisement Regan Linney, left, and Morgan Feeney, right, will link up with the squad after their summer moves, along with fellow new signings David Ajiboye and Junior Luamba (Image: PA) The start of the summer build-up will see former Altrincham attacker Linney link up with his new team-mates for the first time. Defender Feeney, meanwhile, will start his second spell with the Blues following his recent move back to Brunton Park, following his departure from Shrewsbury Town. And this week's additions of wide man Ajiboye and attacker Luamba are also due to check in. Further transfer activity is expected while other decisions on under-contract players could be made as pre-season unfolds. Advertisement Players joining the professional ranks for the first time are teenagers Sam Hetherington, Dan Hopper and Jake Allan. United are also poised to welcome back players who ended last season injured, such as Archie Davies, Josh Williams, Jordan Jones and Charlie Wyke. Luke Armstrong, who remains the subject of speculation on his future, will be back with the squad after last season's loan with Motherwell, with Ethan Robson also due back after ending last term on loan with Gateshead. Carlisle United's big review: the questions answered - and unanswered But midfielder Will Patching will not be involved after his recent loan move to Coleraine, while the future of Kadeem Harris, who has yet to determine his future after being offered a new deal by the club, remains unclear. Advertisement Pre-season will see goalkeeping coach Jack Cudworth back with Hughes' backroom team, after it was recently confirmed that he was staying with the Blues. A first-team coach addition is yet to be confirmed, meanwhile, with Jamie Devitt having returned to his academy role following his stint with the senior side in the closing months of 2024/25. The professionals due to report back for training are David Ajiboye, Jake Allan, Luke Armstrong, Gabe Breeze, Archie Davies, Jack Ellis, Elliot Embleton, Morgan Feeney, Cameron Harper, Aaron Hayden, Sam Hetherington, Dan Hopper, Jordan Jones, Georgie Kelly, Harry Lewis, Regan Linney, Junior Luamba, Ethan Robson, Cedwyn Scott, Jude Smith, Terell Thomas, Stephen Wearne, Callum Whelan, Josh Williams and Charlie Wyke.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Salford forward Luamba signs for Carlisle
Carlisle United have signed forward Junior Luamba for an undisclosed fee from Salford moves to Brunton Park on a two-year 22-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with York City in the National League, making 18 appearances and scoring is the fourth signing made by the Blues as they prepare for their first season at fifth-tier level for 20 years, following Regan Linney, Morgan Feeney and David Ajiboye.
