The Brunton Bugle - A Carlisle United Podcast

Just when you thought rock bottom had already been reached, Saturday delivered an unmitigated disaster at Brunton Park. Shipping five goals at home to a managerless Woking side in front of a stunned home crowd, the Blues collapsed to a harrowing 5-2 defeat - sparking furious boos at the final whistle and plunging the club into full-blown crisis mode.With supporters' patience completely shattered, Lee, Adam, and Nick sit down for an uncomfortable, no-holds-barred post-mortem. We dissect 90 minutes of sheer defensive shambles against the Cards before tackling the massive questions hanging over Brunton Park: has Rob Elliot reached the point of no return? How much of the blame lies squarely with the manager versus the wider structural issues, including a lack of leadership from Sporting Director Marc Tierney? And is it high time the Piatak family broke their silence to address a rapidly deteriorating situation?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A 700-mile round trip down to Hampshire for that? A grim Saturday afternoon at the Silverlake Stadium saw the Blues put in a dreadful display in a 1-0 defeat to Eastleigh. Illness and injuries may have decimated the squad, but questions are mounting after an afternoon where United barely laid a glove on the Spitfires.With no off-field news to distract us this week, we jump straight into an uncomfortable post-mortem. We dissect a toothless performance where Junior Luamba's glaring second-half miss just about summed up our day in front of goal. And with Rob Elliot seeing red on the touchline, we ask the tough questions: how much pressure is the manager under right now, and is fans' patience already starting to snap?From there, we look ahead to a pivotal week with two huge fixtures on the horizon. First, Woking head to Brunton Park under the caretaker charge of Craig Ross and Jake Hyde following Jermain Defoe's shock summer departure - can the Blues avoid a repeat of last season's BP banana skin? Then, we preview our first-ever competitive visit to Mill Farm to take on flying National League North champions AFC Fylde, who are defying the loss of Danny Ormerod to Peterborough and have former Blue Corey Whelan in their ranks.Lots discussed in this episode, including:✈️Eastleigh (A) Reviewed: A 1-0 shocker – illness and injury woes, toothless attacking, Junior Luamba's horror miss & Rob Elliot seeing red

Two home games at Brunton Park, two points on the board, and plenty of head-scratching! A chaotic 2-2 draw with Southend saw United create enough chances to win by six or seven before needing a dramatic, late Georgie Kelly rescue act. That was followed by a tighter 1-1 stalemate against Forest Green Rovers, where another defensive horror show cost us despite Micah Obiero opening his account. Now, the Blues pack their bags for another mammoth trek down to Hampshire to face Eastleigh.In this episode, we kick off with a quick bit of international news as new boy Micah Obiero earns a call-up for Kenya's upcoming AFCON qualifiers. We then dissect both home clashes: the baffling lack of ruthlessness and recurring defensive frailties against Southend, alongside the missed opportunities and avoidable errors against Robbie Savage's FGR.Finally, we look ahead to Saturday's long journey to the Silverlake Stadium - weighing up Matt Gray's track record at Step 1, assessing whether the Spitfires have enough about them to steer clear of trouble, and taking an unexpected deep dive into the world of Benny Hill.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A classic National League gut-punch down in Hertfordshire. After an impressive hour that saw the Blues take a well-deserved lead, three minutes of second-half madness turned the game on its head, handing Boreham Wood a 2-1 win and sending the Wood Army top of the table. But with two huge home fixtures coming thick and fast, there's no time to sulk as we regroup for a Brunton Park double-header.In this episode, we kick off with a busy week on the transfer desk: welcoming new(ish) forward Micah Obiero to Cumbria, bidding farewell to Luke Skinner following then end of his loan spell from Bristol City, and tracking loan departures to Darlington for Hayden Atkinson and Jonah Lowes.We then conduct the Boreham Wood post-mortem: how did a three-minute defensive lapse completely undo an otherwise encouraging away performance? Are set-piece vulnerabilities becoming a real concern, and just how good are the early league leaders?From there, we turn our attention back to home turf for a pair of fascinating clashes against sides managed by Premier League alumni. First up is Kieron Dyer's Southend United, who have defied a chaotic summer squad overhaul to fly out of the traps. Then, Robbie Savage brings his stuttering Forest Green Rovers to town - setting up a reunion with 2023 promotion hero Omari Patrick, while Harvey Bunker prepares to square off against his former club.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A four-point Bank Holiday weekend keeps the momentum rolling! From a soggy, frustrating Friday night slog in north-west London to a six-goal thriller under the Brunton Park sunshine on Monday, there was no shortage of talking points from a breathless four days of action.Before getting stuck into the matches, we unpack our latest piece of transfer business with midfielder Teddy Jenks checking in at Brunton Park. We then dissect the 1-1 draw at Wealdstone - lamenting some sloppy play and a lack of ruthlessness in tricky conditions, balanced out by another heroic display between the sticks from Adam Desbois. From there, it's all smiles reviewing Monday's 4-2 triumph over Scunthorpe United: looking rampant going forward, Josh Williams running the show, Junior Luamba marking his return with a goal, and the ever-dependable Jack Ellis putting in another impressive performance.Finally, we look ahead to a massive early-season clash down in Hertfordshire against fellow promotion favourites Boreham Wood. Can the Blues exploit their defensive fragilities, or will Luke Garrard's side - even after losing Abdulmalik - cause us problems with the likes of Zak Brunt and Matt Rush starting the season on fire?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Four goals, three points, and our first victory of the season secured in style! After a clinical 4-1 win over Hornchurch at Brunton Park, the Blues are officially up and running. With no off-field news to slow us down this week, we jump straight into the match debrief before looking ahead to a bumper August Bank Holiday double-header.In the review, we break down a rampant attacking display, including four cracking goals, Harvey Bunker's sensational start to life in blue, an incredible first-half stop from Adam Desbois on his home debut, and Jack Ellis seamlessly slotting back into the side with another rock-solid midfield performance.Then, we turn our attention to two games in four days. First up, a Friday night trip to Grosvenor Vale to take on a Wealdstone side looking to keep overachieving despite being raided this summer (featuring three ex-Blues in their ranks). Then, it's back to Brunton Park on Monday afternoon to host Scunthorpe United, assessing their sluggish start, the huge void left by Callum Roberts, and whether they have what it takes to repeat last season's play-off push.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A 660-mile round trip down to Somerset, a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, and our first point of the season on the board! It might have been tense and frustrating afternoon at Huish Park, but the Blues showed plenty of character at Huish Park to salvage a 1-1 draw late on against Yeovil. Now, attention turns straight back to Brunton Park as we welcome high-flying Hornchurch for our first-ever meeting with the Urchins.In this episode, we run through the latest transfer activity around the squad before getting stuck into the Yeovil debrief - breaking down Harvey Bunker's flying start to life in blue, how Adam Desbois fared on his debut in goal, whether the Cameron Harper midfield experiment is paying off and if Jonah Lowes is ready to be thrown into the starting XI. We then look ahead to Saturday's clash against an in-form Hornchurch side, discuss what it'll take to make Brunton Park a fortress again, and somehow end up falling down a rabbit hole about the Anglian Ice Age (no, seriously). Lots discussed in this episode, including:

The opening day certainly provided a bit of a wake-up call for the title favourites!After a good first-half performance that had the Brunton Park faithful feeling cautiously optimistic, a second-half collapse saw the Blues fall to a 3-2 defeat against National League new boys Worthing. But there's no time to dwell as we reflect on the weekend, digest more transfer business, and look ahead to a long trip down to Yeovil Town.In this episode, we run through a busy week of news - including Gabe Breeze's move to Cambridge United and the arrival of his replacement, Adam Desbois (yep, another signing from Gateshead!). We then get stuck into the Worthing debrief: did the team simply run out of steam in the second half? Are we fitting square pegs in round holes? And what positives can we take from that encouraging first 45 minutes?Finally, we turn our attention to Huish Park as we preview Saturday's clash with Yeovil, where a familiar face in Archie Davies will be lining up against us for the first time since leaving Brunton Park in the summer.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Welcome to our very first standalone edition of Behind Enemy Lines! From now on, our opposition preview chats are getting their own dedicated bonus episodes dropping on matchday mornings before every weekend and midweek fixture to get you prepped for kick-off.To open the National League campaign, Lee is joined by Worthing fan James from the Rebel Yell Podcast (@RebelYellPod) to get the lowdown on the Rebels as they prepare to play at Step 1 for the first time in their 140-year history. The fixture computer hasn't been gentle on Worthing - handing them a 700-mile round trip for their debut - but after clinching the National League South title last season, optimism is sky-high on the south coast. In this episode, we discuss:

Pre-season is done and dusted, optimism is high (for the most part) and most importantly, competitive football is back at Brunton Park!There's been plenty happening off the pitch over the last month, so we get stuck straight into all the latest news before turning our attention to Saturday's opener against Worthing - can United get off to the perfect start and see off last season's National League South champions? How will Rob Elliot have the Blues line up for his first match in charge? And will Adam manage to stop mixing up Josh Williams and Josh Emmanuel by the end of the episode? (spoiler - no).Lots discussed in this episode, including:

With the new season almost upon us, we're making sure you've got plenty of content to keep you entertained ahead of the big kick-off this weekend. The second of FOUR episodes out this week is our first "Bitesize Bugle" (or should it be "Pintsized"?) episode - a little appetiser ahead of the longer-form versions of the show. For this mini-episode, we're chatting to none-other than United's new number 6, summer signing Miguel Azeez! The former Arsenal man may only be 23, but he's already had an interesting and varied career - from training with the likes of David Luiz, Bakayo Saka and Granit Xhaka to spells in Spain and Greece, before catching United's attention at Morecambe last season. Plenty to cover and certainly comes across as someone who'll be a strong and positive character in the Blues' dressing room this season.Thanks to Miguel for giving up his time and for the media team at the club for helping to arrange this chat - hopefully we'll get a few more for you across the season!Keep an eye out for the Worthing preview later this week, along with the new standalone "Behind Enemy Lines" series starting on Saturday morning.Host: Lee Rooney (@leerooney)-------------------Find us on X (@bruntonbugle), Facebook (search for "Brunton Bugle") and Instagram (@bruntonbugle)You can email us with any questions, suggestions and feedback at bruntonbugle@gmail.com.-----------------We're delighted to confirm that the Carlisle United Supporters Trust (CUST) will be sponsoring the Brunton Bugle once again this season.CUST, formed originally in 2001 as CCUIST and later known as CUOSC, is the supporters' trust for Carlisle United. They are a community benefit society, with a one member-one vote democratic structure. They currently have 10% voting control of the club's holding company CUFC Holdings Ltd and are members of the Football Supporters' Association (FSA).You can find out more about the Supporters Trust and how to join on their website www.cust.org.uk, or you can contact them on X at @CUFCTrustAs part of this sponsorship, we'll be working closely with the Trust to provide some additional content this season – keep an eye out for these episodes soon!-----------------We've had a few people asking how they can contribute financially towards the pod over the last few seasons - we do this podcast because we love our club and are happy to do it for free, but if you'd like to make a contribution that can help towards hosting, online studio or equipment costs, we would be extremely grateful.It would go a long way to help us keep providing content for the Blues fanbase across the world for the 2026-27 season!You can now do this on our Ko-Fi page - ko-fi.com/bruntonbugle. Any donation is really appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, it's that time again - Season Preview and Predictions! After going into our first season back in the fifth tier a little bit in the dark last summer, this time around we're hoping our knowledge has got at least a little bit better as we dive into the runners and riders in this season's National League campaign.In this episode of the Brunton Bugle, we chat about some of the main contenders for promotion this season, who will struggle near the bottom and who is destined for mid-table obscurity, alongside United's overall chances and our infamously bad predictions.Do we all think United can bounce back to the EFL at the seocnd attempt? Has Hartlepool's transfer activity propelled them into title contenders? Will the newly promoted sides cope or struggle? And will Dan predict Barrow to be relegated for the fifth season in a row?This is the first of a bumper week of episodes ahead of the opening fixture against Worthing - keep an eye out for more content throughout the week!Lots discussed including:

Our summer break is over and the Brunton Bugle is back to bring you an update on what's been happening down Warwick Road so far during pre-seaon.From departures and arrivals to the new home kit launch and fixture list reveal, we've got it all covered!Lots discussed in this episode, including:

It's a bit of a departure from the normal Brunton Bugle fare this week, as we go international to look ahead to this summer's World Cup in USA, Mexico and Canada!The lads cover a variety of topics - from CUFC connections to past World Cups, to the former Blues representing the Three Lions at this year's tournament! We also look at England's hopes, the rest of the teams travelling to North America and a bit on our favourite World Cup memories.There's also a quick update on any CUFC news - keep an eye out for more episodes across the summer! Lots discussed in this episode, including:

It only took 25 days, but United have finally given an update on the Head Coach situation at Brunton Park and it's all change for the 26/27 season - Mark Hughes departs by mutual consent, with former Gateshead and Crawley boss Rob Elliot stepping into the hotseat.While it took a while, the clarity is clearly much appreicated from the Blues support. We take the time to look back on Sparky's time in charge of the club and the impact he had on stopping the decline and discuss what the new man in charge might bring that can help us get back into the EFL.Lots discussed in this episode, including:⚡️ Sparky Departure - What is his legacy?

So we're twelve days on from the play-off semi-final defeat to Boreham Wood and we're still none-the-wiser on who will be the manager next season. As it stands, Mark Hughes' rolling contract remains in place but the club nor the manager himself have yet to confirm this - is it time for an update?!While the manager's future is still unclear, the retained list is now out and it's pretty much as expected, bar one surprise departure (and one unexpected professional contract we weren't aware of!). We look back at the main news from BP this week and also discuss where United need to strengthen and who they could target to fill those roles...Lots discussed in this episode, including:⚡️ Manager Update

There'll be no trip to Wembley this year for United as their promotion dream came crashing down at Brunton Park on Sunday, with Boreham Wood securing their place in the final with a 2-1 extra-time win.With another season in the National League now confirmed, we ask the question - what next? Should Mark Hughes stay as manager? If not, who replaces him? Which players should be kept in the retained list? And we discuss some of your thoughts on the key performers (and underperformers) across the campaign.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A glorious day in the sun and a perfect end to the regular season for United - a 3-0 win over already relegated Brackley, game time for squad players and no new injuries. Perfect preperation for the drama of the play-offs!With United set to face Boreham Wood this weekend infront of an almost sell-out crowd at Brunton Park, can they get their first win over the Wood this season and progress to Wembley and be 90 minutes away from an instant return to the EFL?We look back on the win over the Saints, before looking ahead to a massive game this Sunday against Boreham Wood.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

United's longest ever domestic away trip ended in a win - but it certainly wasn't a a classic as they beat Truro City 1-0 at the weekend and picked up three points that secure third place and a home-tie in the play-off semi-finals.Almost 900 Blues enjoyed the long trip south and a great weekend in the Cornish sunshine - maybe the less said about the actual football the better?!We look back on that win over the Tinners before previewing the end of regular season dead-rubber fixture against Brackley Town this weekend.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Dan is back on the pod for the first time in a while and what better time to do it than ahead of one of the most anticipated away league fixtures United have played in a long time.First, we take a look back on the routine 3-0 win over Sutton United at Brunton Park which leaves United needing just one more win to secure third place and go straight into the play-off semi-finals.Can they get those three points this weekend? Almost 900 members of the Blue Army will be making the journey south for United's first ever fixture in Cornwall, to take on already relegated Truro City.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A pair of entertaining draws against Gateshead and Morecambe over Easter could have put a huge dent in United's hopes to finish in third place and go straight into the play-off semi-finals, but two contrasting results for Boreham Wood mean the gap only shortened by one point, and with three games left to go, that five-point gap means United remain in the best position to gain home advantage in early May.The first of those three games comes this weekend against Sutton United - a side United still haven't beaten, can they end the hoodoo against the Londoners this weekend?We look back on the games against the Heed and Shrimps, before previewing the visit of the U's to Brunton Park.Lots discussed in this episode, including:⚫ Gateshead draw review

Something a little bit different this Easter Weekend - a bonus episode! Instead of packaging our usual "Behind Enemy Lines" chat with an opposition fan into the main episode, we've done it as an extended stand alone, and it's a really good one (if I do say so myself!).This week, we're chatting with Dave Salmon, Morecambe FC commentator for Beyond Radio and a fan of the Shrimps for more years than he cares to remember! Plenty discussed with Dave ahead of the bank holiday clash, including whether the appointment of Jim Bentley came too late to give them a decent chance of survival, their slap-dash transfer approach this season and some of the links between the two teams in each squad.Host: Lee Rooney (@leerooney)-------------------Find us on X (@bruntonbugle), Facebook (search for "Brunton Bugle") and Instagram (@bruntonbugle)You can email us with any questions, suggestions and feedback at bruntonbugle@gmail.com.-----------------We're delighted to confirm that the Carlisle United Supporters Trust (CUST) will be sponsoring the Brunton Bugle once again this season.CUST, formed originally in 2001 as CCUIST and later known as CUOSC, is the supporters' trust for Carlisle United. They are a community benefit society, with a one member-one vote democratic structure. They currently have 10% voting control of the club's holding company CUFC Holdings Ltd and are members of the Football Supporters' Association (FSA).You can find out more about the Supporters Trust and how to join on their website www.cust.org.uk, or you can contact them on X at @CUFCTrustAs part of this sponsorship, we'll be working closely with the Trust to provide some additional content this season – keep an eye out for these episodes soon!-----------------We've had a few people asking how they can contribute financially towards the pod over the last few seasons - we do this podcast because we love our club and are happy to do it for free, but if you'd like to make a contribution that can help towards hosting, online studio or equipment costs, we would be extremely grateful.It would go a long way to help us keep providing content for the Blues fanbase across the world for the 2025-26 season!You can now do this on our Ko-Fi page - ko-fi.com/bruntonbugle. Any donation is really appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While it certainly wasn't a classic, United's 2-1 win at Braintree Town does mean that they will now officially extend their season into the play-offs - and with Boreham Wood only drawing at Truro, third place is looking more secure than ever.With a top 7 finish now guaranteed, it's all steam ahead for that route straight into the play-off semi-finals, starting this weekend with a double-header against two of this season's strugglers, Gateshead and Morecambe - although one of them is in a fair bit better form than the other right now.No Behind Enemy Lines this week, because you're getting it as a bonus stand alone episode on Sunday instead, as we catch up with Morecambe FC commentator Dave Salmon.We look back on the win in Essex before previewing the Easter Weekend fixtures. Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A miserable evening in West Yorkshire saw United dig in and come away with another valuable three points, completing the double over Halifax and keeping a tight grip on third place, despite the best intentions of Boreham Wood.Next up for the Blues is a trip south to face Braintree - can United secure another double this season and contine to hold on to that home advantage for the play-offs?We look back on the dogged 1-0 win over the Shaymen before previewing the game against the struggling Iron.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A perfect response from United after the disappointment of defeat at tamworth as they come from behind to hammer in-form Boston 6-2 at Brunton Park - can this be the start of a successful run-in to build up form for the play-offs?The next test for the Blues is a midweek trip to play-off hopefuls Halifax Town, as Sparky's lads look to cement their grip on third place in the table.We look back on the comfortable win over Boston United, before previewing the journey to Yorkshire to face the Shaymen.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

It seems this season that when United lose a game, it's on the back of a turgid performance - and this one was no different, as part-timers Tamworth ran-out deserved winners at The Lamb Ground last weekend.The Blues barely turned up against the Lambs and while it wasn't quite a slaughter, it needs to act as a wake-up call as they look to try and secure third place and enter the play-offs in good form.We look back on the 2-1 loss in Staffordshire, before looking ahead to a game at Brunton Park against a rejuvinated Boston United side - one of the real form teams in the divison right now. Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A couple of contrasting performances for United in the space of a few days - the win at Aldershot in midweek a great example of how to defend a half-time 2-0 lead, the draw with Southend at the weekend... less so.All-in all, the Blues remain secure in third place for now and will be looking to continue that this weekend at Tamworth. Will the artificial surface play a part? Has the ground improved since we went there over 20 years ago? And more importantly, is "tonk" an actual word?We look back on the 2-2 draw with the Shrimpers and the 2-0 win at the Shots, before previewing this weekend's trip to the Midlands to face the Lambs.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

As we've said many times this season, it wasn't a game for the purists at the weekend but most importantly, it was back to winning ways for United as they had a relatively comfortable afternoon on the south coast, with a 2-1 victory at Eastleigh.Up next is United's last game this season against a side in the (current) top 7, as Southend make the long journey north for what is promising to be a bumper crowd for the evening kick-off. Can United complete another double and really cement third place in the table?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A bump back down to earth? More like a crash-landing for the Blues on the North Sea coast as they are well beaten by play-off chasing Hartlepool, nipping in the bud any of those little glimmers of hope people were building for a potential late top-spot push. Can United bounce back straight away and keep a tight grip on third place?We look back on the 3-1 loss to the Monkey Hangers, before previewing this weekend's trip to the south coast to take on Eastleigh.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A comfortable afternoon's work for United sees them easily beat Yeovil and open up a decent gap to fourth place - but can they keep in touch with the top two and hope for some major slip-ups?We look back on the 3-0 win over the Glovers before we preview the midweek trip over the north east to take on Hartlepool United and their collapsing away end seats.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Dan makes his first appearance on the pod of 2026 and what at time to do it - an excellent week for United as they pick up two wins, complete two doubles, six points added and six goals scored! (let's ignore the three conceded for now!). The win over FGR puts United firmly in pole position to secure that vital third place in the league... but could they go one or two better?!We look back on the 3-1 win over Robbie Savage's Vegans before looking ahead to this weekend's fixture against struggling Yeovil Town at Brunton Park. Can the Blues make it three wins in a row?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

After the cautious approach at Rochdale at the weekend, it was a bit more front-foot for United in midweek and it paid dividends as they ran out 3-2 winners over Scunthorpe, three points that could be vital in the battle for third place come the end of the season.With that game out of the way, all focus now is on the trip south to face Forest Green Rovers - another fixture that could be pivotal in the attempts to avoid an extra game in the play-offs could the end of the campaign.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A tight-encounter at Spotland sees high-flying Rochdale come out the winners and keep their grip on top spot - for United, it looks like play-offs or bust this season with 16 games left to play.We look back on the 1-0 defeat to Dale at the weekend, before previewing the huge midweek clash with Scunthorpe at Brunton Park, where third will face fourth in a battle that could go some way to earning a place directly into the play-off semi-finals come the end of the season.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A routine win for United at Brunton Park ahead of a tricky run of fixtures - and an even bigger positive, Charlie Wyke back on the pitch after almost 16 months out!It was pretty straight forward for the Blues against Alty last weekend, but with Rochdale, Scunthorpe and Forest Green all coming up in the space of 8 days, are they ready to face a potentially season-defining week of fixtures? We look ahead to the first of those fixtures at Spotland this weekend.Note - apologies, we had some technical issues early in the episode recording, but these should be ironed out now!Lots discussed in this episode, including:

United's title hopes were given a stark reality check last time out as a ruthless York City side continued their march towards a 100 goal season by winning 3-0 at Brunton Park - is it time to accept top spot is out of reach, or can the Blues turn things around for the run-in?We take a look back at the sobering defeat to the Minstermen last time out, before looking ahead to Altrincham's first ever visit to Brunton Park this weekend as the Blues look to bounce back ahead of a tough run of fixtures.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Big Georgie Kelly gets his first hat-trick for the Blues, but it's still not enough to secure all three points as a very rare Gabe Breeze clanger gifts Solihull a late equaliser and denies United the chance to move into top spot in the division.But they get another chance to go into first place in midweek and what a game to do it in, as last season's runners up and this season's free-scorers York City come to Brunton Park for what looks set to be a hum-dinger of a fixture. Can United avenge the hammering in Yorkshire earlier this season?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

It's three wins and three clean sheets in a row for Untied as they comfortably see off Wealdstone to go top of the table on an ice-affected day in the National League - is consistent and steady performances going to be the key to United gaining promotion this season?We look back on the 2-0 win over the Stones before previewing this weekend's long trip south to Kent to take on Isthmian League side Chatham Town in the FA Trophy Fourth Round. Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Two wins, two clean sheets, four goal scored and six points picked up over the Christmas week... and yet, there's still a level of disquiet at performances amongst the support. Is picking up two points a game on average enough, or is entertaining the crowd just as important this season?We look back on the wins over Gateshead and Morecambe, before previewing the first fixture of 2026 as Wealdstone make their first ever trip to Brunton Park.Lots discussed in this episode, including:⚫ Gateshead win reviewed

It's two defeats in a row for Untied in the league as they're comfortably beaten 2-0 at fellow promotion hopefuls Boreham Wood - is it time for panic stations or is it just a blip?There's an opportunity for the Blues to get back on track in the Christmas week as they face consecutive fixtures against bottom four sides, where nothing less than six points will be considered a disappointing outcome.We look back on the loss in Hertfordshire before previewing the final two fixtures of 2025.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

United's unbeaten run ends on nine games as in-form Woking leave Brunton Park with all three points in a disappointing performance - but it's progress in the FA Trophy as seventh-tier Harborough Town are seen-off in the third round with a 2-1 win.Can United bounce back in the National League against fellow promotion hopefuls Boreham Wood this weekend? We look back on the previous two games before previewing the trip to Hertfordshire on Sunday.Lots discussed in this episode, including:♦️ Woking (H) Review

United's "Road to Wembley" via the FA Cup has ended for yet another season, as they were beaten 4-1 at Blackpool at the weekend - despite the scoreline, the Blues gave a decent account of themselves against a League One side once again this season.While the route to the national stadium via the FA Cup has closed, the FA Trophy journey begins this weekend - with a first ever visit to Harborough Town and a role reversal of United's cup ties across the rest of the season. Can we avoid a potential banana skin against the promotion-chasing Southern League Premier Division Central side.Before that though, in-form Woking are the opponents at Brunton Park in the National League - both sides are unbeaten in nine league games, will something give or should we expect a stalemate?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Georgie Kelly is back in the goals, Breeze is saving from the spot and United are still keeping pace at the top of the league with leaders Rochdale - it's 11 games unbeaten now, can United maintain this run in the push for promotion back to the EFL?This weekend, it's a break from league action as the Blues travel to the Lancashire seaside to face League One side Blackpool - can they cause another cup upset and potentially earn a tie against a Premier League side in the Third Round?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

United's unbeaten run stretches to ten in all competitions as they grab a win at Boston thanks to Macadam's late strike - it wasn't pretty, but Harvey's brace was enough to secure all three points and keep the pressure on Rochdale at the top.We look back on the hard-fought 2-1 win at Boston United, before previewing the visit of Tamworth to Brunton Park this weekend.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Dan's back on the pod for the first time in a long time but unfortunately, it's not a win for him to discuss, as the Blues are forced to settle for a point at home against Eastleigh infront of the biggest crowd in the National League so far this season.We look back on the 1-1 draw with the Spitfires before previewing the long trip over to the East Coast to face Boston United on Saturday evening. Can United get back to winning ways and extend their unbeaten run to ten games in all competitions?Lots discussed in this episode, including:

It's six-games unbeaten in the league for the Blues as they continue to sit top of the National League table - with a more favourable looking run of fixtures going into the new year, can they remain in pole position for a quick return to the EFL?We look back on the excellent 2-1 win at Southend United, before previewing the bumper 10k Brunton Park crowd (fingers crossed!) for the visit of Eastleigh.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

Mike is back on the pod for the first time in a while and he's already trying to claim an assist for Junior Luamba's brace in midweek - the cheek of it! The 2-0 win over Halifax sends the Blues top as Rochdale's game against Scunthorpe fell victim to the weather - can United remain there from this point onwards though?To do so, they'll need to see off fellow promotion hopefuls Southend United at the weekend, as the Blues travel to Roots Hall in the live DAZN and TikTok (yes, TikTok) Saturday evening fixture - it's got all the hallmarks of a potential classic.Lots discussed in this episode, including:

A remarkable win for United and a remarkable sub appearance for Regan Linney at the weekend, as his injury and extra time hat-trick secures a 3-2 win at Reading and sends United into the next round of the FA Cup where they'll face another League One struggler in Blackpool.Are there anymore words left we can use to describe the brilliance of United's top scorer? We'll give it a try. We look back on his second treble of the season before looking ahead to a home clash with play-off chasing Halifax Town this midweek.Lots discussed in this episode, including: