Carlisle United are the latest club to plan to move to a new stadium. They have been at Brunton Park for 102 years. It is the largest stadium in England that isn’t fully seated with a capacity of 18,202. However, although it means Football League regulations for the bottom two divisions, it wouldn’t satisfy those for the Championship.
Carlisle United are the latest club to plan to move to a new stadium. They have been at Brunton Park for 102 years. It is the largest stadium in England that isn’t fully seated with a capacity of 18,202. However, although it means Football League regulations for the bottom two divisions, it wouldn’t satisfy those for the Championship.
17 potential sites were reviewed and one chosen at Kingsmoor to the north of the city. A 12,000 all-seater stadium, including training facilities, would be provided in conjunction with a development partner.
A 12,000 capacity is quite small for a club with Championship level ambitions, but is probably realistic. Carlisle have faced challenges with attendances in the recent past, although their loyal hard core of fans travel great distances to attend away matches (fortunately for them no longer to Plymouth).
Carlisle is the ultimate ‘stand alone’ club with no nearby rivals, although when Gretna was playing just over the border in the Scottish leagues, it may have attracted some fans. Fans who want Premiership football would have to travel to Newcastle or to Lancashire.
However, if one makes a comparison with Norwich, the rural hinterland is sparsely populated with no towns of any great size. The area is also not particularly prosperous, in part because of its geographical position. At least the pubs are no longer state owned as they were until the 1970s.