16-05-2025
Carlisle United confirm retained and released list
Carlisle United have released EIGHT first-team players as the relegated Blues finally published their retained and released list.
Leaving Brunton Park at the end of their contracts are Sam Lavelle, Ben Barclay, Taylor Charters, Paul Dummett, Callum Guy, Dylan McGeouch, Josh Vela and Anton Dudik.
But the Blues have confirmed that Jack Ellis is staying after activating a clause in his deal.
They have also offered new deals to Matt Dennis and Kadeem Harris.
And the Cumbrians have also announced that teenager Jake Allan has been handed a deal to join the professional ranks along with Sam Hetherington and Dan Hopper.
Carlisle confirmed their decisions a day before the May 17 deadline to inform players of their fate.
The announcement comes ahead of any confirmation on the head coach position at Brunton Park amid ongoing talks with Mark Hughes.
It also follows Monday's appointment of Marc Tierney as head of football operations.
United's retained list was not accompanied by any comment from anyone in the club hierarchy.
The decisions include the end of some significant Brunton Park careers as the club prepare for life in the National League.
Callum Guy leaves after five-and-a-half years (Image: Richard Parkes)
Midfielder Guy departs after five-and-a-half years at the club, during which he made 181 appearances.
He was part of the side that won League Two promotion via the play-offs in 2023.
The matchwinner that day - Taylor Charters, who struck the winning shoot-out penalty against Stockport County at Wembley - is also moving on.
The home-grown midfielder, from Maryport, came through the club's academy and made 87 first-team appearances.
Defender Lavelle, who captained the team for much of his two-year stay at Brunton Park, leaves after playing 89 times for the Blues.
In the cases of Guy and midfielder Vela - who leaves after a season and a half - United decided against taking up options in their deals.
Defender Barclay, who joined Carlisle permanently two summers ago after his play-off heroics whilst on loan from Stockport, leaves having made 53 appearances in his permanent spell at the club.
Midfielder McGeouch and defender Dummett leave after injury-hit spells, in McGeouch's case over two years and with Dummett since January.
There is also no new deal for young Ukrainian striker Dudik, who joined Carlisle in January 2024 and extended his stay last summer.
Jack Ellis is set to stay at United (Image: Richard Parkes)
But Cumbrian defender Ellis has earned an extension to his time at Brunton Park with United having taken up an option in the 21-year-old's deal.
Ellis, who has made 64 first-team appearances, returned to the side under Mark Hughes during the closing stages of last season.
And United have tabled offers in a bid to keep striker Dennis and attacking midfielder Harris, who were two of the bright spots in their futile bid to cling onto their EFL status.
United had delayed a decision on third-year scholar Allan but have now confirmed that he has accepted an offer to join the professional ranks at the club.
He is joined by fellow teenagers Hetherington and Hopper, the latter following his late father Tony to professional status at his home-city club.
Forward Freddie O'Donoghue and goalkeeper Thomas Randall have extended their scholarships for a third year.
Carlisle have a further 18 senior pros still under contract and no indication has yet been made as to whether United may seek to move any of those players on.
