Carlisle United confirm retained and released player decisions

Paul Huntington, Jordan Gibson and Tomas Holy head the list of players released by Carlisle United today.

The Blues have announced their retained and released list at the end of their 2023/24 League One relegation season.

And manager Paul Simpson has let go a number of senior players from recent campaigns.

Experienced Cumbrian captain and defender Huntington has been released after two seasons with the club.

Midfielder Gibson, last season’s top scorer, has also not been offered new terms and he leaves after three campaigns at Brunton Park.

Keeper Holy, who lost his place in the side last term, is also heading out of the exit door after two seasons with the club.

From the senior out-of-contract group, Simpson has also released right-sided utility man Josh Emmanuel, forward Sean Maguire and defender Corey Whelan.

Sean Maguire has been released (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Also moving on is young defender Max Kilsby, who has not been offered a new deal after a second season spent out on loan, with teenage midfielder Kai Nugent also released.

Young Ukrainian striker Anton Dudik is the only out of contract player to be tabled an offer to remain at Brunton Park.

Loanees Jokull Andresson, Terry Ablade, Fin Back, Jack Diamond and Joshua Kayode all now return to their parent clubs.

Those still under contract at Carlisle are Jack Armer, Luke Armstrong, Ben Barclay, Gabe Breeze, Dan Butterworth, Taylor Charters, Jack Ellis, Callum Guy, Jayden Harris, Georgie Kelly, Sam Lavelle, Harry Lewis, Alfie McCalmont, Dylan McGeouch, Jon Mellish, Harrison Neal, Jack Robinson and Josh Vela.

Today's decision starts what is planned to be a major overhaul of the squad by Simpson.

And it brings an end to the Blues careers of some of the players who helped Carlisle to promotion in 2022/23.

Huntington, who captained the team to glory at Wembley in the play-off final against Stockport County, has not been retained despite making public earlier this month his keenness to remain with the Blues.

The 36-year-old made 65 appearances for his home-city club, although was not a regular starter for much of 2023/24 in League One.

The mercurial Gibson will also be looking for a new club with Simpson declining to offer him new terms.

The 26-year-old, who joined Carlisle from Sligo Rovers in 2021, leaves having made 143 appearances and scored 20 goals.

Gibson struck nine goals last season including a memorable hat-trick at Bolton Wanderers during an impressive autumn, but fell out of favour after the turn of the year.

For Holy, meanwhile, his release ends a Blues career of two halves, the big Czech setting a clean sheet record and performing penalty shoot-out heroics at Wembley in his first season, but then twice losing his place in the League One campaign and falling out of the matchday squad after the signing of Harry Lewis and the emergence of Gabe Breeze.

Former Republic of Ireland international Maguire's 2023/24 campaign in Cumbria was not a success, the ex-Preston North End managing just two goals in 35 appearances.

Josh Emmanuel has been let go by the Blues (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Simpson has also decided against extending the stay of Emmanuel, who joined as a free agent in November and made 14 appearances for the Cumbrians.

Defender Whelan's departure comes as little surprise after he was omitted from United's squad list for the second half of the season.

Previously, the ex-Liverpool man made 81 appearances having joined the Blues in 2021. He was also in the side that started at Wembley on that memorable day against Stockport.

Carlisle, meanwhile, have opted no longer to back the potential of home-grown players Kilsby and Nugent.

Kilsby has had loan spells at Annan Athletic and Queen of the South in his young professional career but will now move on permanently from Brunton Park.

Teenage Cumbrian Nugent, who has spent this season with Annan after a successful stint at Workington Reds last season, will also leave the Blues at the end of his first year as a pro.

But there is an extended opportunity for Dudik to make his mark at United.

The young forward, who joined Carlisle in January, has played most of his football in youth and reserve games so far, making two first-team substitute appearances for Simpson's side.