Carlisle United will face Stockport County next season after the Hatters clinched promotion back to the Football League.

Former Blues striker Paddy Madden was one of the scorers in a 2-0 win over FC Halifax Town which sealed the National League title.

It means the Cumbrians will face Stockport for the first time since the 2009/10 season.

Their win on Sunday in front of a 10,307 crowd ended an 11-year absence from the EFL for the club.

After Madden's first-half strike, Will Collar got their other goal to trigger celebrations at Edgeley Park as Stockport fended off the challenge of fellow big-spenders Wrexham for top spot.

Madden, a Carlisle player from 2011-13, has scored 25 goals this season, having joined from Fleetwood Town as Stockport invested heavily in a bid to return to the League.

There are further United connections at County, with former Blues defender Clint Hill assistant manager to Dave Challinor, and Matt Jansen involved in a recruitment and player liaison capacity.

Next season's meetings in League Two, meanwhile, will see United manager Paul Simpson up against a club with whom he has mixed memories.

It was at Edgeley Park in 2006 where Simmo made the 808th and last appearance of his playing career, Carlisle also celebrating the fourth-tier title that day.

Simpson went on to have an unhappy managerial stint at the club from 2010-11.

Carlisle's last trip to Stockport's ground was a 2-1 win on August 18, 2009 when Kevan Hurst and Joe Anyinsah were the scorers.

News and Star: Paul Simpson, left, in action for United at Stockport - a club he later managed, rightPaul Simpson, left, in action for United at Stockport - a club he later managed, right

Another trip in the relatively recent history was the 3-0 defeat in October 2008 which spelled the end of John Ward's reign as boss.

Further back, Blues fans in the 1990s will fondly remember the battling 0-0 draw in the Auto-Windscreens Shield northern final second leg which took Mervyn Day's Cumbrians to Wembley in 1997.

Stockport's last visit to Brunton Park, meanwhile, was a 0-0 draw in January 2010.

In the National League play-offs for the second promotion spot, meanwhile, the fixtures are now confirmed.

Notts County will host Grimsby Town next Monday in one of the eliminators, with Halifax hosting Chesterfield the following day.

The winners of those ties will go to Wrexham and Solihull Moors respectively on May 28 and 29, with the final then being held at the London Stadium on June 5.

READ MORE: Paul Simpson: Why I handed teenage Carlisle United defender Max Kilsby a professional deal