ANDREW JENKINS
Midway through his eight-minute answer, Jenkins unfolded a piece of paper which appeared to contain a prepared statement.
The man whose loans have propped up the club, and this regime, over the last several years worked his way through the statement which was also uploaded to the club's website midway through Tuesday's forum.
That suggested a fair degree of advance planning by all concerned, with Jenkins informing the audience of Carlisle's intention to send a "final letter" to the mystery person.
The chairman then spoke of United's wish to "do a Bournemouth", fuelled by "big-hitter" cash, but also drew a heckle when referring to Blackpool's Premier League surge; now a bitter memory to their fans.
His other contributions, meanwhile, were sporadic, as Jenkins spoke of Under-21 loan players who were shocked by the "physical side" of Carlisle's level, his wish to convert his remaining debt into shares, and the need for "continuity" at the top of United.
There were other, unguarded remarks - "I don't know anything about football," he said at one stage - while one fan's attempt to elicit United's promotion ambition from the chairman saw Jenkins accused of "waffling" as he tried to reply.
JOHN NIXON
United's director of external affairs used the politician's tactic of addressing his inquisitors by name in order to diffuse any potential hostility.
"As you know, Richard..." "A lot of what Tim is saying is true..." "Barbara - yes..." "I'll share it with you, James..."
And, in general, the co-owner whose name was chanted in derogatory fashion by fans last season managed to avoid an especially blunt reckoning.
Potential discomfort briefly arose when Nixon started one reply by saying: "I don't tell lies", and a cameo of heckles and laughs followed.
But Nixon then went on to insist, at length, how he had "stepped back" from his previous MD duties and was mainly a supporting influence to other directors.
He was, throughout, most comfortable when expanding on contractual matters, boardroom minutiae, and the Football League's status, especially when the EFL Trophy topic kept being thrown back at the panel.
His first answer on the latter managed to present United as unwitting victims of ambush - "we weren't fully aware when we went to the AGM that we would be doing any voting" - but also as brave and loyal participants in a daring new idea.
The Premier League's financial might, and the EFL's reliance on it, was a recurring theme. He also spoke in defence of Shaun Harvey, the League's embattled chief executive.
Later, we heard another common Nixon trope - the "open door" policy for fans with concerns. Not mentioned in tandem with this, though, was the "people get one chance with me" threat that former fans' rep, Claire Winder, claimed to have heard in this sort of scenario last season.
NIGEL CLIBBENS
The new chief executive broke new ground at a Carlisle fans' forum - by eliciting an emphatic burst of applause from the audience.
This came after Clibbens spoke passionately about unity: "We all care. We want to be better. We should be all in it together."
Clibbens also pledged United would hold more forums; a refreshing statement of openness.
The benefit of Clibbens to this Blues regime was clear in this - and in the way he spoke on other matters; seldom hesitating, usually answering at good length, elaborating on views that many did not agree with (the EFL Trophy vote, for instance).
There was a sense, too, that Clibbens may have added some clear-mindedness towards resolving the billionaire debacle. A timescale was referred to, with a deadline fans can hold United to (Saturday, August 13).
The former Huddersfield chief exec also dealt with questions on the decor in United's bars, whilst observing the "fine balance" of other "complicated" issues, also adding that season-ticket sales were on the increase by 12 per cent.
Clearly a practised bridge-builder, fans were left with this mission statement: "We understand we're not perfect, but we're gonna try our best. We've got to take the lead and make people want to come and watch us."
SUZANNE KIDD
It took a while for anyone other than United's owners to find themselves in the firing line.
While Kidd, the finance director, briefly contributed on the EFL Trophy and Steven Pattison's board status, it was in the second hour when she was tackling questions more regularly.
The only woman on United's board faced a question on why club legends were seen queueing for cup tickets. The likes of Hugh McIlmoyle, Kidd stressed, "refuse to take any special treatment or priority".
Later she explained how the club tries to negotiate the fine line between keeping season-ticket holders happy and tempting new fans. The "practicalities" of using a faster ticket sale system on matchdays was also set out.
It was solid stuff on day-to-day matters - while Kidd was also the first to answer the final question, on how each panel member would work to make fans feel "more wanted".
"We want feedback, opinion, direction all the time," she said.
PHIL KING
Again, it took time for the discussion to move onto King's specialist areas. Eventually a question on the "matchday experience" brought the sales and marketing director into the fray.
This allowed King to speak about the club's reinstated bars after the floods. He also raised the possibility of repeating the "fan zone" marquee seen last season at the Everton game.
Later, King enthused about a "good" commercial summer, with better progress overall compared with last season, and also chipped in with the welcome revelation that United are about to establish a former players' association.
In other respects, King highlighted the upside of what United offer - sponsor offers, ticket incentives, social media - whilst handling the tricky question of why United dropped their fan rep position.
His input was generally littered with positive terms, and showed a constant determination to appear open-minded and conciliatory.
Sitting at the centre of the table, alongside Jenkins, he highlighted the need for United to be ever more professional and polished. "We know things can improve...but everything we do is for the betterment of the club."
JIM MITCHELL
Given the many topics that were overdue a public airing, the Carlisle United Official Supporters' Club representative had a fairly quiet night.
With CUOSC seeking new leaders after Norman Steel stood down, Mitchell stepped up in the interim, having also represented the fans' body at the latest United board meeting.
Here, we were told he had backed the decision to send the ultimatum letter to the "billionaire" - whose identity had also, finally, been shared with a CUOSC figure.
In terms of questions, Mitchell only faced one - the all-encompassing one about making fans feel wanted. His reply raised the possibility that he could be a public face of CUOSC in the longer-term, adding: "I hope to be able to do that job in a way that channels the views of fans through to the board."
Otherwise, Mitchell stressed CUOSC's wish to have a seat on United's holding company board, but it was left for another day to get stuck into matters particular to the former United Trust: why voter turnout at their AGM was so low, whether the recent season-ticket tie-up has been a missed opportunity, general criticism of their relevance, and their stance on current investment talks.
STEVEN PATTISON
No show without punch, as they say - and it fell to Pattison to disrupt the mainly even-natured debate with some blunt contributions.
The co-owner, a late addition to the panel, returned questions with what appeared to be relish - though not, perhaps, if you were one of his boardroom colleagues, some of whose expressions at the time were a picture.
Firstly, "custodian" Pattison was asked to clear up the "Keith" textgate controversy of last year. This saw Pattison launch, unprompted, into an attack on Andrew Lapping, who was among the people criticised by the mystery man who starred in "hacked" Twitter screengrabs.
"We all go on about Mr Lapping, that he's going to be the saviour of this club," Pattison said. "I've got some interesting correspondence that will show him what he was."
This answer also served fans with a countdown clock, as the director claimed a confidentiality agreement between board and Lapping expired in "about six weeks".
Next, a question about what he "brings to the table" actually drew the answer to the first question. "Keith" was not Chegwin, or Lemon, or Richards, or even Curle - but Agar, the former Gretna managing director.
Another fan's attempt to follow up on this was lost in a melee of voices, as Pattison then moved on to tell fans how he, Nixon and Jenkins had "put their wealth on the line" to safeguard the club's future.
"You'll have to ask other people what I fetch to the club," he went on, adding, after a pause, "I don't like blowing my own trumpet."
That was that - until the very end, when Pattison grappled with the fan engagement question. After questioning the relevance of past forums that few people attended, a supporter challenged his own "professionalism" regarding "having arguments on Twitter".
From here, the old bunker defensiveness reappeared. "Well, you speak for yourself," Pattison barked. "You want to pick fights, you're picking on the wrong man."
A few painful moments of hostility followed, Pattison unconvincingly denying he had ever told disgruntled fans "not to come back", as voices were further raised.
"Somebody stop him talking," shouted one fan. "No, don't finish," quipped another after the director had tried to resume. And this is how two hours of attempted bridge-building at Brunton Park came to a close.