Carlisle United have added another experienced option to their squad with the loan signing of Toby Mullarkey from Fleetwood Town until January. It is the sixth addition in the club’s summer recruitment drive, and it gives Rob Elliot another defender with recent League Two and National League experience as Carlisle United prepare for a second National League season.
Mullarkey is 30 years old and arrives after making 27 appearances for Fleetwood Town in League Two last season. Before that, he had previously played for Crawley Town, and his last spell in the National League came with Altrincham. For a team that wants to be competing at the top end, that background matters: it is not just about adding bodies, but about bringing in players who understand the demands of a promotion push.
Why Mullarkey fits the brief
The defender also knows the manager from their time together at Crawley Town, which should help the transition. That kind of familiarity can make a loan move more useful straight away, particularly when a club is trying to settle new players quickly and keep standards high.
Mullarkey made it clear he is embracing the challenge. “To join a team that's expected to be up there and winning is something I'm looking forward to,” he said. That is the sort of message Carlisle United will want to hear at this stage of the summer, especially with the internal expectation around their second National League season continuing to grow.
A short-term signing with a clear purpose
The fact that the deal runs until January also gives Carlisle United flexibility. It allows them to strengthen now without closing off the possibility of adjusting again later in the season, which can matter in a league where the margins are often tight and squad depth can be tested quickly.
For Carlisle United and Toby Mullarkey, the next few months will be about making the move count immediately. The club have brought in six players so far, and this latest addition adds another layer of experience to a squad that is being shaped for a real push in the months ahead.
Elsewhere in the club’s summer business, Carlisle United also confirmed Miguel Azeez’s two-year deal, underlining how active the rebuild has been as the new season approaches.
