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United, under Collins, got off to a dire start in the 2003-04 campaign as they lost their first four matches - one in the League Cup and four in the League. Collins, thanks to the poor run of form during 2002-03 as well, was eventually sacked by owner John Courtenay on August 29th 2004 after a unanimous decision by the directors, Simpson then being appointed as caretaker manager.
A 2-2 draw at Southend a week later, only the Cumbrians' fifth point of the season, ironically enough their opening win coming under Simpson with a 3-2 win over his old club Rochdale, a game in which he also scored the opening goal, was enough to convince John Courtenay that Simpson was the man for the job. However a series of hold-ups meant Simpson had still not signed a permanent contract by the end of September. By the 9th of October Simpson eventually agreed a deal that saw him contracted as manager until May 2005.
He struggled early on to turn round the wretched run of results and by the morning of the 20th of December 2003 United had just five points and were 15 adrift of the rest of the division. Players were moving in and out of Brunton Park right, left and centre though as Simpson looked to get his own playing squad together and improve things on the field. One of Simmo's best signings at the time being that of assistant manager Dennis Booth who brought vast experience to the coaching staff in a very difficult period.
Results finally did improve markedly though with the introduction of veteran players like Tom Cowan, Kevin Gray and Andy Preece and a fantastic run of eleven wins, six draws and six defeats saw the Blues almost clinch a remarkable escape from the relegation trapdoor. Their fate was finally sealed in the penultimate game of the season when an 85th minute Kayode Odejayi equaliser for Cheltenham Town at Brunton Park meant the Cumbrians finally dropped into the Conference for the first time in their history.
United started life relatively well in the Conference although they were always chasing eventual champions Barnet for that one automatic promotion slot. The Blues hit a three month rocky patch from December to February though, winning only two games out of thirteen in a spell which saw the whole ground flooded out, the club playing matches at neutral venues and United drop down to tenth in the table after a 2-1 defeat at Stevenage Borough. The Cumbrians powered back after that however and a run of six league wins in a row propelled them back into the play-off spots, and an eventual third-place finish. Sneaking past Aldershot on penalties at the semi-final stage the Blues went on to get revenge on Stevenage, for two league defeats, with a 1-0 win in the promotion play-off final that took United back into the Football League.
In the end-of-season run-in both Simpson and Booth had signed new contracts with the club, which took them up until the summer of 2007 at Brunton Park. Most Blues fans would have been happy before the start of the 2005-06 League Two season with a mid-table finish but no-one could ever have predicted what would follow under their managerial stewardship. Carlisle came out of the traps well and were sitting pretty in the middle of September in second place in the table behind Grimsby, but a run of four defeats in a row got a few hearts fluttering before United came back with an edgy 1-0 win at home to Mansfield Town to settle the nerves.
The signing of ex-Premiership star Michael Bridges on the 15th of November, initially on loan, was the catalyst for a run of form after Christmas that saw United rocket back up into the top two. A 5-0 hammering of Chester at home in early February finally lifting them into the top spot, a couple of draws followed but the Cumbrians reclaimed that top spot as they smashed in another five goals, this time against Rushden and Diamonds.
United never relinquished first place from that moment on and claimed the League Two title on Tuesday the 2nd of May with a 2-0 win at Rochdale. Simpson himself making his final first-team playing appearance four days later in Carlisle's last match of the season away to Stockport County. An end to an illustrious career on the pitch that saw him star for Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers amongst others, Simpson making 29 starts, along with eight as a used substitute, scoring six goals along the way in United colours.
That wasn't all in a remarkable season though that saw awards flying into Brunton Park, Carlisle also reaching the LDV Trophy Final for the fourth time in their history, only to lose 2-1 to Swansea City. It remains to be seen who will follow Simpson down the M6 this summer but players like Michael Bridges, Karl Hawley, Danny Livesey and Keiren Westwood will all, I would guess, be the subject of transfer speculation from North End. The one consolation is that they are all under contract though and Preston will also have to compensate the Cumbrians for taking Simpson to Deepdale in the first place. The positions of Dennis Booth and Billy Barr are as yet not known, although it seems likely that they will both follow Simpson and end up at Preston.
Like John Courtenay once said, this club is on a rollercoaster, could we have reached the top of the ride? Only time will tell.