Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has hinted that in-form Carlisle United loanee Chris Conn-Clarke could yet return to London Road — but urged the midfielder to “get his head down” and stay off social media.
The Peterborough United chief discussed Conn-Clarke’s situation on his Hard Truth podcast, confirming that new boss Luke Williams will have the final say on whether the 23-year-old remains on loan at Carlisle United or is recalled in January.
The attacking midfielder, who joined the Cumbrians last month, has impressed in recent weeks and voiced his desire to stay for the full campaign.
Can’t do it in league 1 eh 🤫🥴 Linney again ole ole
— christopher conn-clarke (@ClarkeConn) November 1, 2025
MacAnthony Issues Warning to Conn-Clarke
MacAnthony, who described the upcoming period as a “fresh start” under Williams, reminded players out on loan that they remain part of the club’s wider plans.
“It’s a fresh start and that includes players out on loan including Chris Conn-Clarke,” he said.
“He’s been tweeting some daft stuff recently and my advice to him is to get his head down and stop engaging on Twitter [X]. I was the man who paid £350k for him to get out of non-league football when no one else would.
“Chris has been ripping it up at Carlisle and if Luke fancies him we could potentially bring him back.”
The comments come after Conn-Clarke exchanged posts with Posh fans online following Carlisle’s dramatic FA Cup win at Reading, writing: “Can’t do it in League 1 eh…” His interaction drew mixed responses, with many supporters acknowledging his recent form while others criticised his tone.
Loan Success and Future Plans
The Northern Irish playmaker’s journey has been remarkable. Having started his career with Glentoran, he moved to Burnley in 2018, later signing for Fleetwood Town and enjoying multiple spells at Altrincham, where he was named National League Player of the Year for 2023–24 after scoring 23 goals. His performances earned him a move to Peterborough United in June 2024.
On-loan forward Chris Conn-Clarke says he wants to ‘stay until the end of the season and win the title’ with Carlisle United after scoring twice and two assists in his first three games👇#bbcfootball #carlisleunited #cumbrians pic.twitter.com/WaBW8RXEHx
— BBC Sport Cumbria (@bbccumbriasport) October 31, 2025
Since joining Carlisle United on loan in October 2025, Conn-Clarke has become a key creative force, contributing in both league and cup competitions. He has spoken openly about feeling “at home” in Cumbria and hopes to extend his stay beyond January, with “options” in his contract allowing the move to be prolonged until the end of the season.
Meanwhile, MacAnthony also hinted at a busy January window for Peterborough, admitting the club may need to move “5 or 6” players on to remain under the wage cap.
“Luke has eight weeks to evaluate his squad,” he said. “We didn’t get players out in the summer, so we might need to get 5 or 6 out in January. I’ll support my manager as I always do.”
For now, Conn-Clarke’s immediate focus remains with Carlisle United, where his energy and eye for goal have already made him a fan favourite. However, with a new manager at Peterborough United and a chairman known for bold decisions, his long-term future may yet take another twist.
