On Tuesday, Mark Hughes Carlisle side welcome Matty Taylor’s Solihull Moors side to Brunton Park. Both teams are unbeaten in the league so far this season and this promises to be another hard fought battle.
The Cumbrians will be wanting to get their first home win of the season meanwhile Solihull who have proven they are tough to beat will be looking to get their first win of the season in the National League.
How Have Both Teams Started The Season?
Mark Hughes side got off to the perfect start with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Woking in their first game of the season but we disappointed to follow that up with an eventful 3-3 draw against Boreham Wood which saw them blow a 3-1 lead with only 15 minutes to go.
Matty Taylor’s side have been difficult to beat in the league so far this season , they held Forest Green to a 2-2 draw in their first game despite being down to ten men from the sixth minute. Last time out they travelled to Sutton who held a very good York City side on the opening day and managed to hold them to an impressive 0-0 draw as well.
Players To Watch
For Carlisle it’s hard to look past Regan Linney after his two brilliant goals against Boreham Wood. His ability to run at defenders and turn inside and finish will be a constant threat for the Cumbrians.
Elliot Embleton seems to have found his feet now in a Carlisle shirt and his passing and habit of finding little pockets of space could be the key to unlock the very solid Solihull defence.
For Solihull their main striker and goal threat is Dan Creaney whom they signed from Tamworth in the summer, Creaney scored 19 National League goals last season and with Carlisle United’s defensive frailties that were on show against Boreham Wood he will fancy his chances to to get on the scoresheet in this one.
Forward Callum McFarlane could be another forward for Solihull that could cause the blues defence lots of issues, the former Fulham youth player has lots of ability and his direct approach when he has the ball could worry Carlisle.
I think Hughes needs to ring the changes after the Boreham Wood game, defensively it needs changed but with Feeney and Grant still injured Hughes won’t be able to make wholesale changes there, I do however expect him to drop Harper and one of Thomas or Hayden.
In midfield I thought we looked slow and lethargic at times against Boreham Wood so I think Hughes may change Whelan for Robson or Wearne who showed more energy when they came on against Boreham Wood, I’ve gone for Wearne but it could easily be Robson.
Up top Ajiboye has offered nothing in his first two games of the season and was hooked at half time against Boreham Wood for Georgie Kelly as Hughes’ side went two up front and vastly improved . I think the manager starts Kelly in this game and goes with what worked well up front against Boreham Wood.
A Message From Paddock Perception
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
X – @blue_army_tv
YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel
Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
X – @CU04_YOUTUBE
YouTube – @CU04
Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
Carlisle United have today announced the signing of 24 year old midfielder Harvey Macadam on a one year contract, with the option of a further year.
Macadam has signed with the Cumbrians following the expiration of his contract with Morecambe, where he made 36 appearances last season, including 29 in League Two.
Who Is Harvey Macadam?
Harvey Macadam joins Carlisle having already become a bit of a journeyman in his relatively young footballing career up to this point, having spent time at the academies of both Burnley and Blackburn Rovers before eventually kicking off his senior career with AFC Fylde.
Macadam went on to play for various sides in non league, including Northwich Victoria, Nelson, Longridge Town and Ashton United, he then signed for then League One side Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee following an impressive showing in the Northern Premier League. Since then, he has amassed a good deal of EFL experience with the Cod Army and Morecambe, who he played for during a tumultuous 2024/25 campaign for the Shrimps, as well as a short stint in the League of Ireland Premier Division where he had a loan spell with Waterford FC.
What Will Macadam Bring To Carlisle?
It’s no secret that Carlisle have been looking to bolster their midfield ranks before the season kicks off today away at Woking, and Macadam will be looking to be the man who fills that void, with Stephen Wearne and Josh Grant still not fully fit, Macadam may have a good chance to impress in the opening weeks of Carlisle’s National League campaign.
At 6 foot 4, Macadam will also bring plenty of physicality to the Blues’ midfield, being a big presence and potentially freeing up Callum Whelan to be the creative force that drives United forward.
Head of Recruitment, Martin Foyle said: “Harvey is a player I have been watching for a couple of years now.
“He is a good character and size – fitting the profile. He will only get better with games. He can dictate play and will create openings for our forwards.
“He is also versatile and will be an important player for us moving forward. Hopefully he settles in quickly and the crowd gets behind him and the team for this coming season.”
Macadam is eligible to play in today’s season opener, but after signing at such short notice, it remains to be seen whether he will be utilised early on or eased into the squad as the weeks go on.
Us here at Paddock Perception would like to offer Harvey a massive welcome to Brunton Park, and we wish him the absolute best going forward in his spell with the club.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
X – @blue_army_tv
YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel
Another partnership Paddock Perception has is with Carlisle United YouTube channel CU04, they have amazing content on their channel and we are looking forward to working with them this season. You can follow them here:
X – @CU04_YOUTUBE
YouTube – @CU04
Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
With the start of the 25/26 National League season upon us next week and the majority of transfer business completed it’s now time to give as accurate a prediction as possible for the new season.
I will be predicting every team in the National League and where I think everyone will finish this season.
24th – Morecambe
The Morecambe situation is looking more bleak and inevitable with every passing day but at the time of writing this there is still hope so I will be predicting them to finish bottom. With all the issues off the field, the lack of players and the lack of stability it would be hard to see any other outcome for Morecambe if they do somehow manage to fulfil their fixtures in the National League
23rd – Truro City
Truro were exceptional last season and won the National League south on the final day of the season. John Askey’s side could suprise some teams this season but I think with the lack of transfer business and the club potentially punching above their weight that it could be a tough season for them.
22nd – Brackley Town
Brackley much like Truro won their respective league last season and earned their place in the National League this coming season. Brackley have signed some experiences players such as Danny Waldron and Michael Nottingham so they could take points off some of the better sides but over the course of the season I think they will fall just short.
21st – Wealdstone
Wealdstone only just survived last season and have lost some important players over the summer. They’ve lost experienced players like Adrian Mariappa, Josh Grant and Craig Eastmond without really replacing them as yet, I think they will struggle this season.
20th – Gateshead
Gateshead have suffered off the pitch recently and been under a transfer embargo but have managed to stay competitive on the pitch but they have lost arguably their two most influential players this summer in Regan Booty and Greg Olley without replacing them as of yet so I think they will have a tough season but may just have enough to stay up.
19th – Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors finished 14th last season after making the play offs the season before and in my opinion are experiencing a steady drop off. They have lost key players like Jack Stevens and Tahvon Campbell which will be a blow but they have brought in Dan Creaney from Tamworth who will score enough goals for them to stay out of trouble.
18th – Braintree Town
Braintree finished 17th last season and I expect them to be around there again this season. They’ve lost a key player in Kyrell Lisbie and haven’t brought in many new faces as of yet so I expect a very similar season to the last from Braintree.
17th – Boreham Wood
Out of the teams that have come up I think Boreham Wood have arguably recruited the best. They’ve brought in players such as Jeff King, Luke Norris, Aaron Henry and Junior Dixon all with experience at this level or higher. I think they will be comfortably safe this season.
16th – Boston United
Boston have experienced something of a squad overhaul this season. They’ve lost a total of 12 players and brought in 13 players so far this summer and that could go one way or another but I think they will be comfortably mid-table this season and finish higher than last season.
15th – Altrincham
Altrincham have lost a lot of goal contributions with the sales of Regan Linney and Alex Newby but they have recruited well and brought in players such as Charlie Kirk, Keaton Ward and Jimmy Knowles that will hopefully fill the huge void left by Linney and Newby. I think Altrincham will be comfortably mid-table this season but will miss the goals from the front two and drop off from last season.
14th – Tamworth
Tamworth finished 10th last season and had a good FA Cup run but I think will struggle more this season due to loss of top goal scorer Dan Creaney. They have brought in good players for this level such as Tyler Roberts and Joe Riley who will add quality to the squad but I think they will finish lower than last season.
13th – Woking
Woking finished 15th last season and I expect them to be around there once again. Neale Ardley’s side will be solid at home again but could suffer on the road like they did last season. Their transfer business has been quiet but effective this summer by signing a lot of players from teams in lower divisions such as Caleb Richards, Jake Hyde and Craig Ross who will all bolster an already very solid National League
12th – Yeovil Town
Yeovil finished 18th last season but I think they’ve held on to some important players and added some quality with Tahvon Campbell and James Daly so I think they will climb the table this season and finished significantly higher.
11th – Aldershot Town
Aldershot are another side that have experienced a major squad overhaul with the release of nine first team players and the sale of two more but they have replaced them with ten new faces including Tristan Abrahams and Kwame Thomas. I think Aldershot have a very strong mid-table National League squad and their final position will reflect that.
10th – Sutton United
Sutton United finished 12th last season and have brought in a total of eleven players so far this summer including experienced goal scorer Ashley Nadesan who has been scored in pre-season and has experience at this level. I think they will improve on their 12th place finish from last season.
9th – Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe coming up from the National League north will be a team to watch out for. They have a squad worth of a top half finish in the National League and have added quality to that squad this summer with players such as Joey Dawson from Celtic, Oliver Ewing from Leicester and Dubem Eze from Bolton. I think they will take some big scalps this season but may just fall short of the play offs.
8th – Forest Green Rovers
I struggled with Forest Green because I have major question marks over the appointment of Robbie Savage but I think their squad and strength in depth plus the additions from Macclesfield over the summer I think they’ll have a good season but depending on how the manager situation plays out they might just miss out on the play offs.
7th – Hartlepool United
This may seem odd but Hartlepool finished 11th last season and have lost their top scorer in Mani Dieseruvwe but I think they will just make the play offs. The additions of Danny Johnson and Brad Walker in particular should replace the goal involvements of Mani Dieseruvwe.
6th – Halifax Town
Halifax are another of those sides that have experienced something of an overhaul this summer but I think with the additions of players such as Will Harris and Cody Johnson on top of a strong squad and good season last season I think they will make the play offs once again.
5th – Eastleigh
I think there is a strong argument to say Eastleigh have had the best transfer window in the whole league this summer. They’ve brought in quality and experienced players such as Nick Townsend, Jordan Cousins, Josh Lundstram, Keiron Evans and Aaron Pierre. I’m expecting Eastleigh to massively improve on their 13th place finish last season and comfortably make the play offs this season.
4th – Southend United
Southend are one of a few teams that have managed to keep the majority of their squad from last season and have added quality to their squad with players such as Sam Austin, Ben Goodliffe on a permanent deal and Harry Boyes. I expect them to improve on their 7th place finish from last season and comfortably make the play offs in 4th place.
3rd – Rochdale
Another team that has a strong case for winning this transfer window are Rochdale. They’ve managed to keep the core of their squad from last season and added some experience and quality to their ranks with players such as Mani Dieseruvwe, Anthony Mancini, Casey Pettit and David Tutonda and I think if anyone is going to disrupt the top two everyone is prediction it will be Rochdale.
2nd – York City
York City fell just short in the play offs last season and with the goals of Ollie Pearce means they will always be a threat but they have added some depth to their squad this summer and brought in quality with Ollie Banks and Alex Newby who will thrive up front with Ollie Pearce this season. I expect them to comfortably be in the top two this coming season.
1st – Carlisle United
After suffering back-to-back relegations Mark Hughes’ side will be looking for an immediate return to the EFL and their transfer business this summer has reflected that expectation. Signing players with experience at this level such as Regan Linney, Josh Grant, quality players with experience like Morgan Feeney and Bevis Mugabi as well as young hungry players like Junior Luamba and Sam Murray should see them finish at the top end of the table for the first time in three seasons.
A Message From Paddock Perception
Stay with Paddock Perception this season as we bring you match previews, match analysis and all of the latest news around Brunton Park in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
We are working alongside Liam and his YouTube channel Blue Army TV this season to make sure we bring you the best Carlisle United content we possibly can. You can subscribe to his channel and follow him on X, his handles are below.
X – @blue_army_tv
YouTube – @BlueArmyTVchannel
Thank you everyone for reading Paddock Perception, your support means everything! Please don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more football content:
Frankie McAvoy (Left), Mark Hughes (Centre) and Gavin Skelton (Right)
Carllisle United yesterday released an update on the club’s coaching staff for the upcoming season, with Mark Hughes’ previous assistant Glyn Hodges leaving the club due to family commitments.
Speaking after leaving Brunton Park, Glyn said: “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to step away from my current role. The commute has significantly impacted on my work-life balance, and I believe it’s time to prioritise a healthier daily routine, along with family commitments.
“I’m grateful for the experiences and opportunities I’ve been given by Tom, Patty and the Piatak family and wish them well, as well as Mark and the team for the coming season.”
Who is Hodges’ replacement, Frankie McAvoy?
Hodges’ position was quickly filled by Frankie McAvoy, taking the role of first team coach under Mark Hughes. McAvoy brings a good amount of experience to the club, having worked as a coach under Alex Neil at Hamilton Academical, Norwich City and Preston North End. McAvoy also had a stint as head coach of Preston, following a successful spell as interim manager, winning 14 out his 33 games in charge of the club.
He then had a spell at Hearts as Academy Director in 2022, before being assisting Steven Naismith as head coach a little over a year later. Earlier this year in March, McAvoy joined AFC Fylde as interim assistant coach before departing the club following Fylde’s relegation from the National League.
Gavin Skelton returns to the Blues.
Yesterday also saw a return to Carlisle for Gavin Skelton, who makes a comeback less than a year after leaving the Cumbrians alongside then manager Paul Simpson after a long spell as assistant manager to names such as Keith Millen, Chris Beech and Steven Pressley.
Skelton has left Hartlepool to facilitate his return to the club, having been a first team coach at the Pools since November 2024.
Head of Football Operations, Marc Tierney said: “We are happy to support Mark Hughes with the additions of Frankie and Gav to the coaching team.
“Frankie brings coaching experience in the National League and above, as well as valuable knowledge and insight to our coaching setup which will be a real asset for the season ahead.
“We are also delighted to welcome Gav back to Brunton Park. He is someone who knows Carlisle well and has strong ties to the club.
“Bringing Gav in is an important step towards building a strong and effective team around the players.
“We’re confident this coaching group will provide the support and expertise needed for a successful season.”
What do these appointments mean for Carlisle United?
This news will certainly have raised a few eyebrows among Carlisle United fans, with Glyn Hodges’ having came to the club alongside Mark Hughes and United fans will certainly feel like they’re losing a big figure in the regime that gave the side a real fighting chance of staying up towards the end of the 2024/25 season. Another question mark is the fact that Hughes hasn’t worked with either McAvoy or Skelton before, which suggests that these appointments are largely being driven by other individuals rather than Hughes himself.
McAvoy does unquestionably bring with him some good experience at multiple levels of the game however, having worked in the Championship, SPL and National League at various stages of his career, which will hopefully be a boost to the club going forward.
Gavin Skelton’s return is another decision which will almost definitely split opinions, as a large portion of the fanbase were happy to see him leave the club last year, after being a part of multiple different coaching regimes which ultimately failed to deliver.
With that said however, Skelton undoubtedly knows Carlisle inside and out, and is blue through and through, so he will bring the level of experience, knowhow and passion that could help really reconnect the fanbase to the club after a tough couple of years at Brunton Park.
We at Paddock Perception would like to thank Glyn Hodges’ for his time at Carlisle United, and wish Frankie McAvoy and Gavin Skelton all the best in their new roles at the club as they attempt to drive the side back into the Football League.
Thanks everyone for reading and don’t forget you can follow Dan and Craig on X for more Carlisle United content:
Paddock Perception 