# 2015–16 Carlisle United F.C. season

The 2015–16 season was Carlisle United's 111th season in their history and their second consecutive season in League Two. Along with League Two, the club will also compete in the FA Cup, League Cup and League Trophy. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.

## Squad statistics

    As of 7 May 2016
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League Two | League Two | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | JP Trophy | JP Trophy |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Mark Gillespie | 50 | 0 | 45+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Tom Miller | 35 | 5 | 28+1 | 5 | 1+1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Danny Grainger | 43 | 7 | 35+0 | 5 | 4+0 | 2 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Luke Joyce | 43 | 0 | 35+3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Michael Raynes | 49 | 3 | 39+1 | 3 | 5+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | David Atkinson | 27 | 0 | 22+1 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Jason Kennedy | 49 | 3 | 43+0 | 2 | 4+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Martin Smith (loan) | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Charlie Wyke | 38 | 15 | 29+5 | 12 | 3+0 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | FRA | Bastien Héry | 25 | 0 | 16+4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 11 | DF | ENG | Patrick Brough | 11 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Antony Sweeney | 26 | 4 | 13+7 | 1 | 3+0 | 3 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | WAL | Dan Hanford | 6 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Jabo Ibehre | 43 | 17 | 28+7 | 15 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+3 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | MSR | Brandon Comley (loan) | 13 | 0 | 12+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Courtney Meppen-Walter (free agent) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Jack Stacey (loan) | 9 | 2 | 7+2 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | EIR | Gary Dicker (free agent) | 27 | 0 | 12+7 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Alex Gilliead (loan) | 40 | 5 | 22+12 | 5 | 4+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | EIR | Danny Kearns (free agent) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | GHA | Kevin Osei (free agent) | 9 | 1 | 2+6 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | COL | Ángelo Balanta | 10 | 1 | 5+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Troy Archibald-Henville | 14 | 2 | 6+7 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Steven Rigg | 10 | 0 | 2+6 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Matthew Douglas | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Joe Thompson | 17 | 1 | 4+11 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Hallam Hope (loan) | 26 | 5 | 17+5 | 4 | 2+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | GHA | Derek Asamoah | 50 | 8 | 11+31 | 6 | 2+3 | 0 | 2+0 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 26 | FW | ENG | Macaulay Gillesphey (loan) | 28 | 2 | 19+5 | 2 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Mark Ellis | 34 | 0 | 29+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | NED | Luis Pedro | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Connor Hammell (free agent) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 40 | GK | ENG | Morgan Bacon | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 44 | MF | ENG | Alexander McQueen | 26 | 0 | 15+6 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | League Two | FA Cup | League Cup | JP Trophy | Total |
| 1 | FW | | 14 | Jabo Ibehre | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | FW | | 9 | Charlie Wyke | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 3 | FW | | 25 | Derek Asamoah | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | DF | | 3 | Danny Grainger | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 5 | FW | | 17 | Alex Gilliead | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | FW | | 24 | Hallam Hope | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | MF | | 2 | Tom Miller | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | MF | | 12 | Antony Sweeney | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | DF | | 7 | Jason Kennedy | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | DF | | 5 | Michael Raynes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | FW | | 26 | Macaulay Gillesphey | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | DF | | 20 | Troy Archibald-Henville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | FW | | 16 | Jack Stacey | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 | MF | | 18 | Ángelo Balanta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | | 27 | Mark Ellis | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | FW | | 18 | Kevin Osei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | | 23 | Joe Thompson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | | TOTALS | 67 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 83 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | League Two | League Two | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | JP Trophy | JP Trophy | Total | Total |
| 4 | DF | Luke Joyce | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 27 | FW | Mark Ellis | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 14 | FW | Jabo Ibehre | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 24 | MF | Hallam Hope | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1 | GK | Mark Gillespie | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 15 | MF | Brandon Comley | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | MF | Tom Miller | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Michael Raynes | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Danny Grainger | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Gary Dicker | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Charlie Wyke | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | David Atkinson | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Troy Archibald-Henville | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Bastien Héry | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | Jason Kennedy | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | Antony Sweeney | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Steven Rigg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Derek Asamoah | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Ángelo Balanta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Brandon Comley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Macaulay Gillesphey | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 44 | DF | Alexander McQueen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Martin Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 60 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 75 | 7 |
Notes:
* ^(10) The red card that Jabo Ibehre received in the Round 28 match against Accrington Stanley was rescinded by the FA Appeal Board after the club appealed.

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 19 May | CM | Connor Hammell | Academy | Trainee |
| 19 May | CM | Jason Kennedy | Bradford City | Free transfer |
| 20 May | CB | Michael Raynes | Mansfield Town | Free transfer |
| 21 May | DM | Luke Joyce | Accrington Stanley | Free transfer |
| 4 June | CB | David Atkinson | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 11 June | CM | Tom Miller | Lincoln City | Free transfer |
| 24 June | DM | Bastien Héry | Rochdale | Free transfer |
| 25 June | CF | Jabo Ibehre | Colchester United | Free transfer |
| 30 June | LW | Ángelo Balanta | Bristol Rovers | Free transfer |
| 30 June | RB | Alexander McQueen | Tottenham Hotspur | Free transfer |
| 28 July | RW | Kevin Osei | Waasland-Beveren | Free transfer |
| 31 July | RM | Joe Thompson | Bury | Free transfer |
| 3 January | DF | Mark Ellis | Shrewsbury Town | Free transfer |
| 24 March | FW | Luis Pedro | Târgu Mureș | Free transfer |

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Date until | Ref. |
| 14 September | LB | Macaulay Gillesphey | Newcastle United | initial: 11 October extended: End of Season | [17] [18] |
| 14 September | CF | Alex Gilliead | Newcastle United | initial: 11 October extended: End of Season | [17] [18] |
| 18 September | RB | Daniel Wiseman | Sunderland | initial: End Of Season recalled 3 may | [19] [20] [21] [22] |
| 29 October | DF | Mark Ellis | Shrewsbury Town | initial: 29 November extended: 2 January | [23] [24] |
| 21 January | MF | Brandon Comley | Queens Park Rangers | initial: 21 February extended: 20 March | [25] [26] |
| 19 March | MF | Martin Smith | Sunderland | End of Season | |
| 24 March | FW | Jack Stacey | Reading | initial: End of Season recalled 3 May | [28] [29] |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July | RW | David Amoo | Partick Thistle | Free transfer |
| 1 July | CB | Nathan Buddle | Gateshead | Free transfer |
| 1 July | CF | Stephen Elliott | Free Agent | Released |
| 1 July | AM | Josh Gillies | Gateshead | Free transfer |
| 1 July | CB | Sean O'Hanlon | Stockport County | Free transfer |
| 1 July | CF | Billy Paynter | Hartlepool United | Free transfer |
| 1 July | RM | Brad Potts | Blackpool | Undisclosed |
| 1 July | LB | Matty Robson | Shildon | Released |
| 1 July | RB | David Symington | Barrow | Free transfer |
| 1 July | DM | Paul Thirlwell | Harrogate Town | Free transfer |
| 10 July | AM | Kyle Dempsey | Huddersfield Town | £300,000 |
| 10 July | DM | Anthony Griffith | Altrincham | Free transfer |
| 24 July | CF | Mark Beck | Yeovil Town | Undisclosed |
| 26 November | DF | Courtney Meppen-Walter | Chorley | Released |
| 1 September | RM | Daniel Kearns | Glenavon | Mutual consent |
| 23 December | FW | Kevin Osei | | Mutual consent |
| 1 February | MF | Gary Dicker | Kilmarnock | Released |
| 9 March | MF | Connor Hammell | Workington | Mutual consent |
* ↑ Following Gillies' release he joined Gateshead.
* ↑ Following O'Hanlon's release he joined Stockport County.
* ↑ Following Symington's release he joined Barrow.
* ↑ Following Thirlwell's release he joined Harrogate Town.
* ↑ Following Griffith's release he joined Altrincham.
Total income: £300,000

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date until | Ref. |
| 26 November | FW | | Steven Rigg | Barrow | 29 November | |
| 2 January | MF | | Patrick Brough | Lincoln City | 2 February | |
Notes:
* ^(11) Original loan was until 2 January. Loan terminated earlier due to Rigg sustaining an injury.

## Competitions
### Pre-season friendlies

On 11 June 2015, Carlisle United announced their finalised pre-season schedule.

### League Two
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 8 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 69 |
| 9 | Cambridge United | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 68 |
| 10 | Carlisle United | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 67 | 62 | +5 | 67 |
| 11 | Luton Town | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 63 | 61 | +2 | 66 |
| 12 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 61 | 53 | +8 | 64 |

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | D | L | D | W | W | W | D | L | W | W | L | W | L | D | W | L | D | W | W | D | W | L | D | D | W | L | D | W | L | W | D | L | D | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W |
| Position | 11 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 10 |

#### Matches

On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
Notes:
* ^(1) Carlisle's Round 22 home match was moved to Deepdale Stadium due to flooding from the Storm Desmond
* ^(2) Carlisle's away match was postponed due to Accrington Stanley's home ground, Crown Ground was under water due to heavy rain.
* ^(3) Carlisle's Round 24 home match was postponed to a later date due to the club unable to find an alternative venue because of the state of the home ground after flooding from the Storm Desmond.
* ^(4) Carlisle's scheduled home match was moved to Ewood Park due to the home ground not in playable state after Storm Desmond and Storm Eva.
* ^(5) Match was interrupted for 70 minutes in the tenth minute of the match after a fire alarm forced an evacuation of one of the grandstands at St. James Park.

### FA Cup

The First Round draw took place on 26 October at 7pm at the club house of the FA Charter Standard Community Club Thackley Juniors F.C. based in Thackley in West Yorkshire, and was broadcast live on BBC Two and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Notes:
* ^(6) Match was moved to Bloomfield Road due to the state of the home ground after flooding from the Storm Desmond

### League Cup

On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Carlisle United were drawn at home against Chesterfield. The second round saw Carlisle draw Queens Park Rangers away.

### Football League Trophy

On 8 August 2015, live on Soccer AM the draw for the first round of the Football League Trophy was drawn by Toni Duggan and Alex Scott. Carlisle travelled to Port Vale and were defeated in the first round.