Carlisle United have received a potential promotion boost by landing attacking midfielder Chris Conn-Clarke on loan from Peterborough United until January.
The 23-year-old arrives in Cumbria with a wealth of non league experience. He last featured in the National League for Altrincham, where he bagged 23 goals in 46 appearances during the 2023/24 season.
This earned the former Burnley scholar a move to League One’s Peterborough. He was seen as somewhat of a coup for Posh, having been linked to a number of clubs in the third and fourth tiers. However, his time at the Weston Homes Stadium has been a struggle and he is yet to play a single minute of senior football this season.
Conn-Clarke Offered Career Lifeline
Last month. Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony confirmed that he had received enquiries from some of the National League’s biggest teams about Conn-Clarke’s availability. This led to speculation that Carlisle were amongst the interested parties, which was immediately played down by head coach Mark Hughes:
“There is a lot of rumours around a lot of players and we have conversations about a lot of players.
“Some that we think are doable and others that are way off the radar and not even worth a conversation about.
“There are probably a number of players who are in between those levels as well.
“I haven’t seen a great deal of him [Conn-Clarke], I know him as a player and he has got a good talent but he is someone else’s player so we shouldn’t comment.”
However, the Cumbrians have won the battle for his signature which will provide a huge boost to their promotion aspirations. After suffering relegation from League Two last season, they have enjoyed a strong start to the season and are currently just a single point off leaders Rochdale.
Conn-Clarke will stay at Brunton Park until January, although the deal does include options. Speaking after the announcement, Hughes expressed his delight:
“He’s a player with real quality in the final third — composed, creative, and clinical when it counts. He brings with him a proven track record at this level, and his experience, along with his technical ability, makes him a valuable addition to the squad. We’re confident that his presence will make a significant impact, not just in terms of goals and assists, but in the overall dynamics of our attacking play.”
Writer’s View
There is a reason that Chris Conn-Clarke had attracted a vast amount of interest from the National League, despite having seen his career stall over the past 18 months or so. He arrived at Peterborough with big expectations but it just hasn’t worked out for him. Carlisle represents a fantastic opportunity for the ex-Fleetwood Town player and in a division which he has already proved his worth. At just 23-years-old, this could also provide a huge confidence boost and it will be interesting to see if Mark Hughes opts to make this move permanent in January.
