It’s been a difficult start to life back in League One for Carlisle United with the Cumbrians sitting just inside the relegation zone, one point from safety.
Paul Simpson’s side missed a big opportunity to leap out of the bottom four with a win over Charlton Athletic at the weekend. A second-half equaliser from Samuelle Lavelle earned a point for Carlisle in the end.
The newly-promoted side have a massive game on Tuesday night against Reading, who currently sitting bottom of League One but picked up their first away victory in over a year on Saturday by beating Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 at Adams Park.
The gap between the two sides remains at five points but a win for Carlisle United in midweek could create a nice distance between themselves and the Royals and would lift them out of the relegation zone, providing Exeter City and Fleetwood Town drop points.
Carlisle’s new owners, the Piatak Family, were in attendance at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon during the team’s 1-1 draw and could be set to help head coach Simpson strengthen the squad in January.
According to journalist Alan Nixon on his exclusive Patreon, Carlisle United are prepared to battle it out with promotion-hopefuls Stevenage for the signing of Burton Albion’s Cole Stockton.
Stockton is an experienced centre-forward in the EFL and particularly in League One, having scored 39 goals across five different seasons with Tranmere Rovers and Morecambe in England’s third tier.
The 29-year-old moved to Burton during the summer after Morecambe were relegated from the division but has struggled to have much of an impact with the Brewers, making merely five league appearances under Dino Maamria.
One of these appearances came on Saturday in a 4-0 defeat to Peterborough United where Stockton scored an own goal during what was a dreadful evening for the Albion.
Stockton played for Carlisle United during the 2017/18 season but scored just once in 12 matches before leaving at the end of the campaign.
Writer’s View
This could be a good signing for Carlisle. The player already knows the club, having played at Brunton Park five seasons ago but he is a much better forward now than he was in his first spell.
Simpson needs goals in his team if the Cumbrians are to survive for another season in League One as his side are the joint-third lowest goalscorers in the division. Stockton could improve that. It will be difficult to pip Stevenage to his signature but Carlisle can offer the striker more regular first-team football.
Deputy Head of Writing
