Carlisle United welcomed three former players back to Brunton Park on Monday, with Francois Zoko, Michael Raynes and Simon Hackney receiving a warm reception from the crowd. The trio were special guests for the Blues' 4-2 National League victory over Scunthorpe United, a result that follows a strong third-place finish last season with 95 points. The ex-stars spoke to supporters in the lounges before the match and were involved in the half-time entertainment.
Zoko and Raynes were introduced to the crowd on the pitch at the interval, with Hackney also joining them for the 'Big Shot' challenge. The event provided a nostalgic link to past successes as the current squad builds towards the new campaign, having ended the 2025 season 13 points behind champions York.
Francois Zoko joined the club in 2010 after a trial and became a popular figure over 102 appearances, scoring 24 goals. The Ivorian, now 42 and head of academy coaching at Burton Albion, is remembered for a spectacular overhead kick at the Warwick Road End against Hartlepool United. During his visit, he caught up with current Carlisle defender Bevis Mugabi, a former teammate from their time together at Yeovil Town.
Michael Raynes made 97 appearances for United between 2015 and 2017. The 38-year-old was an integral part of Keith Curle's side that enjoyed memorable cup runs against Liverpool and Everton in the 2015/16 season. He then helped the team reach the League Two play-offs the following campaign. Raynes is now head of football education at Stockport County's football education programme.
Simon Hackney enjoyed a prolific spell at Brunton Park between 2005 and 2009, making 139 appearances and scoring 17 goals. Now 42, he was an emerging star in the Paul Simpson-led side that won the League Two title in 2005/06. He became a regular in League One and scored a brilliant equaliser in a famous 3-1 win against Leeds United at Brunton Park in 2007. Hackney now runs his own fitness and wellbeing business, Life Hub, in Stockport.
The return of popular former players coincides with a positive period for the club on the pitch. Last season's tally of 87 goals scored and 51 conceded resulted in a healthy +36 goal difference, underpinning their strong league position. The atmosphere at Brunton Park was buoyant for the Scunthorpe game, blending past glories with present ambition. Fans can track the team's progress in the table on our standings page.
Carlisle finished the 2025 National League season in third place, recording 29 wins, 8 draws and 9 losses from their 46 games. Their recent form heading into the off-season was marked as WWWDD. The 4-2 win over Scunthorpe in this friendly fixture provided further encouragement ahead of the new competitive campaign. The club's defensive and offensive records from last term are detailed in our stats section.
Francois Zoko's last appearance in a Carlisle shirt was over a decade ago, but his connection with the club remains strong through his coaching role in the Football League.
