Carlisle appoint Elliot to replace departed Hughes

Image source, Shutterstock

• Published28 May 2026, 14:09 BST

Carlisle United have appointed former Gateshead boss Rob Elliot as their new head coach after Mark Hughes left the club by mutual consent.

Hughes, 62, took over in February 2025 but was unable to save them from suffering relegation to the National League.

The former Manchester United and Wales striker remained with the club last summer and led them to third with 95 points but they were beaten 2-1 at home by fourth-placed Boreham Wood in the play-off semi-final.

Elliot, 40, left the Heed on Wednesday having led them on a remarkable run from February to help them avoid relegation to National League North, when they had been bottom of the table.

"This is a huge club and opportunity and I'm really excited to get started," he told the club website.

"I want us to play attacking, aggressive football with and without the ball.

"We want to win, we want the players to enjoy it and want the fans to be excited to turn up and watch a team that plays good football with an identity but more importantly gives absolutely everything for the badge."

Elliot's arrival was announced four hours after the club confirmed that former Blackburn, Manchester City and Stoke City boss Hughes had left.

Chairman Tom Piatak said in a statement that they were "grateful for the work he has done, the standards he brought and the progress made during the season".

"Following open and respectful discussions, both parties agreed this was the right time for the club to move in a different direction," he added.

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Elliot initially took over at Gateshead in a caretaker capacity in September 2023 after Mike Williamson left for Carlisle.

He led the Tyneside outfit to sixth place but they were unable to compete in the play-offs because their ground did not meet the entry criteria for membership of the EFL.

Elliot joined then-League One Crawley in October 2024 but was sacked the following March with them 22nd in the table after six wins from his 33 games in charge.

He returned to Gateshead in January with the side in dreadful form at the foot of the fifth tier and they were then 11 points adrift by the middle of the following month.

However, after ending a run of 13 successive league defeats on 17 February they then lost just two of their final 15 matches to finish eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Related topics

• Football
• Gateshead
• National League
• Carlisle United