This is the American businessman understood to be in talks over the future of Carlisle United.
Florida-based logistics businessman Tom Piatak and members of his family have attended Blues games in recent months.
Multiple sources have told the News & Star that they have met United directors as well as supporters’ trust representatives.
And our exclusive photos by Richard Parkes show Mr Piatak with his wife Patricia and son Tom sitting near United’s directors, vice-presidents and other staff members at May’s League Two play-off final victory over Stockport County at Wembley.
They are shown celebrating Carlisle’s promotion via a penalty shoot-out against Stockport County at the national stadium on May 28.
The family were also present at Brunton Park for the play-off semi-final second leg against Bradford City the previous weekend – as well as United’s pre-season friendly at Annan Athletic last month.
Evidence of their interest in the Blues comes amid growing speculation around the future of the League One club.
As well as our photos highlighting their presence at Wembley, members of the Piatak family made little secret of their interest in United in a number of social media posts.
Tom junior posted videos on Instagram that appeared to be filmed from the directors’ areas at both Brunton Park and Wembley in the play-off matches. Both showed footage of post-match celebrations, the latter video showing the Piataks' close proximity to Carlisle officials such as head of recruitment Greg Abbott and vice-presidents Andrew Dunning and Graham Mossop at the play-off final.
Those videos, seen by the News & Star, were publicly available until the last 48 hours, since when Tom’s account has been made private.
They were captioned: "From pitch invasions to Wembley celebrations, CARLISLE UNITED IS GOING UP! #cufc"
Sister Jenna also posted on Facebook of a visit to Brunton Park on July 8, including a video taken inside the ground, as well as images of the family attending the Annan game the previous evening, when members of the party wore United’s new replica shirts.
Those posts have also since disappeared.
It remains to be seen to what extent the Piatak interest will now develop.
Carlisle declined to comment on our story. A club spokesman said: “We don’t comment on speculation or rumours.”
United’s supporters’ trust CUOSC did not address the subject of Mr Piatak’s interest, but did issue a comment when approached by the News & Star.
They said: “The club and CUOSC are regularly contacted by people showing an interest in the club.
“Given the good relations with the club we are now fully involved if anything ever comes in.
“Everyone needs to remember and learn from the past when it comes to dealing with interest in the club and commenting in the media on them.
“We cannot comment on speculation at this time. We assure fans if any of the interest that comes in ever develops we will always tell fans as soon as we can.”
Tom Piatak snr, a military veteran who was a captain with the US Army Corps of Engineers during Operation Desert Storm in the 1990-91 Gulf War, is the owner and chief executive of Magellan Transport Logistics, a firm based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company website also currently lists him as president.
His wife Patricia, with whom he founded the firm in 2006, is a co-owner of the business.
Tom junior is the firm’s head of risk management while Jenna is marketing, recruiting and training manager.
The businessman and his firm already have interest in USA sport in their Florida community through a commercial partnership with American Football team Jacksonville Jaguars.
Magellan have also sponsored Minor League baseball team Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and professional ice hockey team Jacksonville Icemen, as well as annual college football game the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
The logistics firm's gross revenue last year was listed by the Transport Topics website in December 2022 as $414m, with net revenue $85m.
Carlisle remain in more than £2.7m of debt to Purepay Retail Limited, a legacy of loans from Philip Day’s Edinburgh Woollen Mill and something which has been described in the past by club owners as a major hurdle to potential takeover/investment.
John Jackson, a director of Purepay, recently resigned from United’s Holdings board with the club citing health reasons for the move. The club said in late June that they had held recent face-to-face meetings with Jackson with a view to resolving the long-standing debt situation.
United co-owner John Nixon, speaking on the club website after June's fans' forum, hinted that there were parties interested in putting money into the club.
He said: "We have people who are on the blocks who want to do that with us being more successful, it is something they’re aware of."
Nixon described the Purepay debt situation as a "barrier" to such moves at the time.
The emergence of the American interest also comes at a time Carlisle renamed the East Stand after long-serving chairman Andrew Jenkins.
The stand was previously named after the co-owner’s firm Pioneer.
The News & Star invited Tom Piatak snr to comment but has not yet received a response.
FLASH SALE: Subscribe to the News & Star at just £6 for six months, or £31 for a full year, to access all our in-depth Carlisle United coverage. Offer is open for a limited time. Click HERE
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel