Alice Piatak on Carlisle United's new era after takeover

Alice, the daughter-in-law of owners Tom and Patty Piatak, is one of six new directors at Brunton Park following the recent takeover. Each brings a different skill set to the club. Alice’s own background in Human Resources points her attention in a particular direction.

“I'm not going to become the new HR person as such, but I'm more for bouncing ideas off of how to run the club in a new and fresh way to accomplish all of our goals,” she says.

“We're very goal-oriented – it’s going to be very much [a case of] how do we hit where we need to hit? Who's going to hit those tasks?

“I'm kind of responsible for kind of breaking that down, making sure that it's being followed and just making sure that everyone's on the same page, because that's kind of what I do in my day-to-day job."

• LISTEN: Tom II and Alice Piatak on Carlisle United's new era

Alice, like the rest of the family now controlling the Blues (her husband is Tom II, son of Tom snr and Patty) has other ideas about United but underpinning these is the need to find out as much as possible about the club now that they are through the door.

The Piataks’ research on United was considerable but no amount of that can match on-the-ground knowledge. Ensuring the Florida family are here to acquire it is key.

Alice Piatak (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“I think it'll be helpful being here, being present, actually getting to meet and interact with everyone,” Alice says.

“We definitely want to be, when we're in town, on site, meeting the players. getting to know them on a personal level, meeting every part of the staff, and not just the people who work in the admin building.

“There's so much to uncover, and also, how do we all work together to make this organisation the best it can possibly be? We can't do it by ourselves, obviously. So it’s about getting to know everyone's strengths and weaknesses – what's missing? What can we do better? What is completely unnecessary that we're doing right now?

“I think that is essential, as well as learning the past and getting to the future.”

How will the Piataks, given their business positions back home in Jacksonville, ensure they can give enough of themselves to the English League One football club they have just acquired?

“The family has kind of discussed this,” Alice says. “Because there are six of us, and we're obviously couples, couples will travel by themselves.

“So we will be over here for extended periods of time, just the two of us [myself and Tom II], but there will be overlap. Obviously, it does make things a lot easier when you have more bodies on task.

“During Christmas, we will be around, all six of us. And I think that is really helpful because it's not just two people who have to come – we have kind of a wider reach with the six of us.

• Tom Piatak II: 'Competing for Championship is where United belong'

“So we'll be aligning ourselves so we can be here as much as we possibly can.”

 Among Alice’s priorities, she says, will be to ensure United’s place in its surroundings is as good and as emphasised as it can be,

“I really want to get involved in the community,” she says. “I love community outreach. I will probably be doing a lot with trying to bring on the women's team when we do that, [for instance].

The Piataks, including Alice, far left, on the pitch before the Charlton game (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“Things like going to schools and speaking…just having that conversation with the community and the club that maybe doesn't really exist [to the fullest extent] right now.

“We'll be starting as close to the club as possible and then once we hit our goals, then continuing out. Most people will drive an hour to a football game. So I think just doing that, and being a presence out there in the field, is really important.”

Alice, like the rest of her family, were assured of the backing for their takeover by a remarkable welcome at Brunton Park for the Charlton Athletic game – the first since they took control.

The Cumbrian reception underlined their reasons for being here and for establishing a vision they hope can take Carlisle forward in a serious manner.

“It was very surreal,” Alice adds of that first game.

“I really enjoyed being able to go out into the fan zone for two to two and a half hours, just getting to meet everyone. Everyone was so kind, welcoming, telling us their stories.

“And then to walk out on the pitch…it was a once in a lifetime experience. It was absolutely unbelievable. It kind of just didn't feel real.

“And then you look back and you're like, ‘Oh, I did that’.

Alice with husband and fellow United director Tom II (Image: Ben Holmes)

“It [the positive response from fans] just means it's more accepting, [the idea] there won't hopefully be as many road blocks as [there might have been], so it's nice to have the warm welcome. It kind of lets us breathe a little bit more and start our planning process without a lot of pressure.”

Pressure remains in terms of United’s predicament in the third tier. This will be the subject of serious work and input by the Piataks, Alice says, at the same time as broader aims are formed.

“Short term, our goal for this year just to maintain where we are and maintain League One status,” she says.

“[But] we want to build the infrastructure to potentially be in the next league up. We want that to be sustainable.

“Nothing's impossible with the right team, with the right people backing you and with the right support.

“We can do whatever we set our minds to, and we want to be that facility for this community in this club. Realistically, I think the Championship is where we would see ourselves long term, but we need the backing.”