5 years

[griff]

I was wondering to myself where our Club will be in 5 years. Championship? Oblivion? We can all speculate as much as we like but our future is, and probably will be, in the hands of others, including those who make transfer decisions at other clubs and a bloke in Dubai.

We have Simmo for 3 years. Will he last that long? Sign on for longer? Who knows.

Anyway, I’ve consulted Old Griff’s Almanac and here’s what I reckon. A bit of football fortune will allow the debt to be paid off, cementing the Three Horsemen into place for the foreseeable future. Simmo will eventually get us promoted but, suffering from vertigo, the Three will fail to come up with the budget to keep us there and we’ll be relegated the following season. Simmo will resign as a result, a tinpot manager will replace him and we’ll end the 5 years exactly where we are now. Would you bet against it?

So what do you lot think?

[Psaw]

The only reason Cambridge are above you is because of the manager. Get that right and div 1 is possible. There is a hidden handicap that you are not aware of. Cambridge can sign players from anywhere. The transport infrastructure allows it. But not from ooop norf.

You are ooop norf.

Would a suvverner, a midlander, or even a mancunian sign for Carlisle? You might as well be in Scotland.

No.

Unless the money is right, which it wont be. You will have to pay more for them to move. You have a small pool of players to fish in. Having said that, there are carp in your penalty area.

Joking aside, youve had it. Kaput. Do have a a yoof system?, its your only hope.

[_Stefan_Kuntz]

The quality of life between Lancaster and Lockerbie is the highest in the UK.

[griff]

We have other pools to fish in Frank; the NE and Scotland where there are players aplenty, and yes, we have a youth system. EFL2 is easily the equivalent of the Scottish Championship and we have a Manager with a proven history at this level. We are in an outpost, true, but there are few other clubs to compete with here. If you compare two clubs which both have good managers then what comes into play is the board of directors’ approach. That’s where Cambridge, and almost every other EFL club, has the edge over Carlisle United.

[Blackdogblue]

We have a different problem than Carlisle. Whilst we are not in debt, we are not cash rich and we do not get a big crowd every week. Yes we have a good youth system and also a knack for getting non league bargains to shine & sell on. The frustrating thing is these diamonds leave holes in the squad & we then get thumped every week so fans stop going compounding the gates issue.

There is also a lot of competition around here, forgetting the 2 Prem ones & the likes of Bolton, Burnley, Blackburn etc that are less than an hour away..

Salford & Stockport have a lot of rich owners and for a non league club , when Stockport start flying down south for away games speaks volumes.

Bury tried to pay for a title with money they did not have and paid the price as did Macclesfield. Oldham went through many management changes and have now sunk into the quicksand below which as any NCFC fan will know, bounce back is not easy..

In 5 years? I would be happy to still have a club even if we are still on league 2

[Psaw]

The talent is down south, purely by numbers. If your a brummie playing for a birmingham club, and Notts County and Carlisle want you, who would you sign for?

If you have elderly parents, your divorced with young children, your partner has similar things, then signing for Carlisle means you cant see your kids on sunday, or visit your ill grandad.

Its like you in another country. Which you nearly are. How many youth team players have you got in the first team, or ex youth players. What would be interesting is to know where your current first team squad are from, their last club.

What is in your favour, as mentioned previously is signing non league players who see Carlisle as a step up. You will have trouble signing an established mid twenties pro from Walsall.

[Blackdogblue]

Who the fcuk would want to line in Cambridge 🤷*♂️.

At least Carlisle is near the coast & the lovely Lake District Frank

[Psaw]

I take it you have never visited Cambridge. It is a truly wonderful place, its atmosphere is unique. I have never been up to Cumbria. One of the reasons i love the Fens is the vast openness and huge skies. Like Cumbria, im sure if i came up i would want to stay. You have mountains, we dont, a huge advantage.

[Blackdogblue]

Actually I have been to Cambridge United although some many years ago now. We stopped at the Holiday Inn near the ground on the Friday/Saturday night then found a lovely village pub after the match. My son was a fussy eater in his younger days and wanted a pizza but there wasn’t one on the menu so they made him one, was one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted.. friendly ground & everyone we met down there.

Living in Rochdale, if I had to make a decision between the 2 I would head North sorry.. found Cambridge a bit remote.