Readers have been left deflated after Carlisle United's owners announced that takeover talks are now off.

Discussions - understood to have involved businessman Philip Day - have been officially shelved by the Blues.

And club bosses have cited the reluctance of supporters' trust CUOSC to agree to a deal as a major reason.

The trust, meanwhile, have issued their own statement confirming they informed the Blues in May that they could not support a deal which did not deliver immediate change of control.

Here's what you, the readers, had to say.

Ryan Darraugh said that he thought the takeover was "never going to happen".

Phil Rickerby said: "A very slow and gradual decline over the years from the 70's when [Carlisle United] was a good second division side (championship now). The ground is long overdue modernisation [and] the team are struggling - possible relegation this season."

Jackie N Loz Otway said she "felt sorry for the fans, the players, [the] manager Skelton and the backroom staff.

Moreno Giovannini seemed positively downbeat about the news as well.

He added: "Cue the board and CUOSC both blaming the other for the failure to progress.

"Merry Christmas."

United have said they are in "discussions" over Purepay Retail Limited over the repayment of a seven-figure debt, and are now seeking new investors.

Club bosses said they finally spoke out on the situation to avoid risking "the ongoing uncertainty over investment and ownership" hampering the team's bid to escape relegation trouble in League Two.

They gave their view on why talks, which began with Edinburgh Woollen Mill in recent years, have not now led to takeover.

CUFC Holdings' board consists of chairman Andrew Jenkins, fellow owners John Nixon and Steven Pattison, Purepay's John Jackson, shareholder Lord Clark and CUOSC's Billy Atkinson.