Carlisle United: Derby County factor should give Piataks big hope for future - View | OneFootball

Carlisle United's season ended with them watching the Derby County fans storm the pitch at Pride Park, following a 2-0 defeat to the Rams, but it wasn't all bad for the Blues.

There were certainly mixed emotions for Carlisle fans when it was announced that their final game of the season would be shown live on Sky Sports, as it was in the prior campaign, but this one came under much different circumstances.

The previously televised game was their dramatic play-off final on penalties to secure their return to League One. The one on Saturday was their final game in said division - for now - following a terrible season which saw them finish bottom of the league and break their personal record for most losses in a league campaign (30).

There was very little consistency on the pitch in the 23/24 campaign for the Blues; that that was came in a very disappointing form of regular defensive mishaps and poor ability on the ball.

But there was one constant throughout the miserable 46 league games, and that was the fans.

8000 people was the average attendance at Brunton Park this season, and the Blues regularly took large followings to their most local, but not quite so local, away games.

Over 4000 made the trip to Bolton Wanderers to watch one of the club's best wins in a long time, and a very similar number made their way to Wigan for a Tuesday night game against the Latics.

That consistent support, despite the dreary, uninspiring nature of what the fans were watching, was present at Pride Park too, and it should give the club's owners, and the rest of the hierarchy, a big push as we head into the summer.

Paul Simpson's final message to the fans before the summer

After the club announced its retained/released list, the manager gave a lengthy interview to the club's media team, and, at the end of it, he sent one final thank you to the supporters for what they have done this season.

"I asked everybody to come and join in and get on the ride with us. I didn't expect it to be a bit of a steadier ride, but my message is, and I've said this many times, thank you! We appreciate it so much.

"I know that we haven't shown how much we appreciate it because of our performances. All I can say is I am doing everything I possibly can, I will do everything I possibly can, to make sure that we are giving ourselves the best possible chance.

"I can't guarantee it, but I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure that we put something out on the pitch that they can be proud of next season."

Consistent backing by fans should make the owners very hopeful about what is to come

The Piataks have a very clear vision of how they want the club to look and where they want to take it to. They don't really need any extra motivation to make this club as good as it can be, but, in their first season in charge, when the team has been way below standard, the fans have stuck by the club, and they've shown it with their feet.

After seeing what the fans can do throughout the season, and especially in the dying embers of the final game of the campaign, Tom, Patty, Tom II, Alice, Jenna and Nick must all be thinking 'Wow, this place is going to be really special once we get all of our plans into action.'

Work has already begun on improving Brunton Park so that, when fans come back for the 24/25 campaign, it is a much better place than the one they left after the defeat to Wycome Wanderers.

With a new-look ground being delivered as we speak, and thousands of enthusiastic Blues there to fill it on the first day of next season, the Piataks will surely believe, if they don't already, that the sky is the limit for this club, and a large part of that is the unwavering support that the fans have shown during these dark times on the pitch.