Football Season Guide

After narrowly failing to make the Play-Offs last season, Carlisle enter the new campaign with a similar squad and hopes to go one better this time around. The signings include former Notts County central defender Mike Edwards, a direct replacement for the departed Lubo Michalik, Huddersfield veteran Danny Cadamateri, a direct replacement for Francois Zoko, who left for Notts County after failing to agree a new deal, and former Monza defender Alessio Bugno, who is a complete unknown at this level. The problem with the way the Cumbrians conducted their business over the summer is that five players left the club, while only three joined, which is likely to prove to be a problem, given that they struggled with their lack of squad depth over the entire previous campaign - although it also has to be said that Craig Curran and Stephen O'Halloran both barely featured last year due to injuries. Carlisle's last season's Play-Off push was formed around their excellent home form, and only crumbled after star striker Lee Miller picked up an injury with four games of the season to spare. The former Middlesbrough striker has since recovered and will be ready for the start of the season, while the Cumbrians are also hoping that forward Rory Loy will recover according to play - he is expected back in November, and, if he manages to get back to his old self, he would be like a brand new signing, after suffering a horrific leg break midway through the previous season. All in all, Carlisle seem to be of similar strength as they were last season, and while they do not have the resources of some other promotion chasing sides, they are a well organized bunch of players used to playing together and will surely hope to be up there come the end of the campaign.