After more than two decades in management, Mark Hughes admits that nothing compares to the thrill of matchday—and he's feeling that buzz more than ever as Carlisle United prepare for the biggest game of their season.

The Cumbrian side host Boreham Wood at Brunton Park on Sunday (12:30 BST), with the winner booking a trip to Wembley seven days later for the National League play-off final. A bumper crowd of over 12,000 is expected, and the veteran manager can't wait.

"Any Saturday or Sunday, whatever matchday it is—that's the big, big reason why I'm still doing this job," Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria. "It can test you and be frustrating on many levels. But I was always the same as a player. Training or whatever went into the game, I wasn't the best pupil if I'm honest. I just wanted to play at the weekend."

A seasoned Premier League veteran with 466 matches in the dugout, the 62-year-old Welshman ended a 16-month hiatus from the game when he joined Carlisle in February 2025. He couldn't prevent relegation from League Two last season, but he stayed on as the club rebuilt and regrouped.

And regroup they have. While they couldn't keep pace with runaway leaders Rochdale (106 points) and champions York City (108 points), Carlisle finished the regular season in style. An impressive eight-game unbeaten run secured a comfortable third place, and their final tally of 95 points is a new club record.

Now, it all comes down to this Sunday—and potentially next. The winner in Cumbria will face either Rochdale or Scunthorpe United for the second promotion spot. For Hughes, the goal has been clear from day one.

"We're in a position to do that if we overcome the hurdles in front of us," he said. "That was always the aim at the beginning of the season. We made no bones about that. We raised the expectation."

Whether this season ends with celebration or heartbreak, one thing is certain: for a man who has seen it all in football, the matchday magic is still very much alive.