Carlisle United have today confirmed that ownership of the club has changed to the Castle Sports Group owned by the Piatak family.
The acquisition of the club had been long talked about but following EFL approval, has today been announced via the club’s various social media channels. Those rumours became stronger and stronger in recent weeks, with photos of the family, hailing from Jacksonville, Florida in the USA, pictured in attendance and sporting this season’s kits at various games this year.
It is a huge step for the Cumbrian club, who currently sit in 22nd place in League One and three points from safety. The ownership group will be looking to get off to a winning start as Carlisle welcome mid-table Charlton Athletic to Brunton Park on Saturday.
It is expected that Carlisle’s January transfer budget will be significantly increased, and the family have pledged to invest in the club both on and off of the pitch. The acquisition comes at a perfect time for the Blues who although are somewhat struggling in League One, would’ve never expected to be playing in the third tier as recently as a year and a half ago.
Carlisle boss Paul Simpson has been vocal in recent weeks about the excitement surrounding the club at the minute, and that excitement of most fans has no doubt doubled today with conformation of the club ownership changing hands.
Having already announced a resolution to Carlisle’s £2.6 million debt situation to Purepay Retail Limited, which has hung over the club for quite some time, it seems as if the family are very much invested in the club for the long haul.
In a statement on the club’s official website Tom Piatak said:
“We are delighted to have completed the takeover of Carlisle United Football Club. This marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the club, and we are committed to investing in its success and building a bright future together. We extend our sincere gratitude to the fans, staff, and everyone involved in making this transition a reality.”
“As we embark on this journey, we look forward to continuing engaging with the Carlisle United community and working collaboratively to achieve our shared goals. Together, we aim to create a football club that not only competes at the highest level but also serves as a source of pride for the local community.”
In a separate statement, former owners Andrew Jenkins, John Nixon, Steven Pattison and David Clark wrote:
“We are very pleased they will take up the reins of the club as they’ve shown ambition, drive and focus to take Carlisle United to the next level. Not only that, they’ve been involved with the new EFL acquisition process since May which is a stringent set of requirements to ensure future ownership of clubs in the EFL are more protected from financial risk.
“We wish the Piatak family well and wish them good luck for the future. It’s been a pleasure working with them in the last 6 months and we are all confident the club is going into good hands.”
A bumper crowd is expected at Brunton Park on Saturday as a new era begins. Fans will be hoping that the positivity off of the field will galvanise the players on it as the club look to climb out of the relegation zone.
Writer’s View
It is a very exciting time to be a Carlisle fan, back in League One for the first time since 2014 and now under new ownership and potentially the club’s greatest ever manager, there is certainly a lot going the right way for the Cumbrian club. Although the league table may not look as pretty currently, the new ownership could become a real catalyst for change and we may see that transfer onto the pitch.
With more EFL regulations to protect from financial risk than ever, fans should have the pice of mind that the family are truly invested in the club. Given the fact that they had been attending multiple matches whilst the acquisition was still ongoing, as well as a favourable write up from the previous owners, it seems like the club are in good hands for the future.
Senior Editor
