For all that it is great news that he looks like taking over at Brunton Park. Even if you take the stance that everyone involved still had the best interests of CUFC at heart - people were backed into corners and it was time for a change. People ask me if I know "exactly what went on" as I certainly do know Michael Knighton. Or at least used to do as it is some time since coming across him. But hand on-heart I'm for the most part left scratching my own head when thinking about just what has happened over the past eight years or so. Perhaps a place in the Premiership is now beyond Carlisle United - whoever is in charge of the club. There is no doubt in my mind though that Michael Knighton believed in that Premiership dream for this club at least to start with. Think of the football we played when winning the Division Three title with the likes of Reeves, Hayward, Thomas, Conway and Currie, etc - at their best. Look at Fulham now in the Premiership and think back to a few years ago. Seems longer than that now doesn't it but were you one of the thousands at Craven Cottage when Mick Wadsworth's team possibly peaked in terms of it all coming right on the field. We played the Craven Cottage outfit of their own park on the way to a 3-1 victory and quite simply were outstanding that day in front of staggering away support in the Capital City. Then there is Brunton Park. If Mr Knighton had no intention of us progressing through the League then no way would he have had that superb stand built on the site of the old scratching pen. People moan about Brunton Park sometimes but to me it's the best stadium in Division Three by a mile - and a lot better than many in Division Two as well. I mean have you been to Layer Road lately. Or Division Three table toppers Plymouth. You seen Home Park - three sides of it is a building site. (But yes our pitch does need sorting!) And yet it still feels like we had it in almost in the palm of our hands only to let it slip when it was possible to go on and progress even more than we had done so. We didn't need to win promotion from Division Two straight away - we did however need to invest in just a couple of players to help us consolidate and ensure we did not drop back down again. For whatever reason it didn't happen and I'm not sure that we'll ever know exactly why! The only thing I can recall which may shed some light on whats gone on is a visit to Brunton Park one day which saw me come across a very subdued Mick Wadsworth. Our old gaffer was not a man who was 'subdued' very often and Michael Knighton was in a similar state of mind. I could never believe the way Wadsworth used to talk to Knighton - bordering on the abusive at times - yet its why they clicked so well - at least to start with. On inquiring what was up Wadsworth dourly explained that he had been to Ewood Park to see a couple of players he was interested in. These two were just juniors and had not figured in the Blackburn first team. The Carlisle boss had been informed of the wages these teenagers were on - a figure which was a fair bit higher than say David Reeves was at United at the time. Even Knighton seemed stunned and answered Wadsworth's "there's ******* bollocks chance of this club ever reaching the top flight when kids like that are on such ******* silly money. Perhaps Knighton's almost silent response of "No, it's not happening anymore is it" spoke more than any of us realised at the time. Maybe even to him. This could all be well wide of the mark but its worth pointing out that Mick Wadsworth was to leave less than a fortnight later. To a position he later said he knew "to be a mistake" the first day in his new job. First Division football is I feel a realistic target for Carlisle United FC. But the Premiership is now an impossible dream. I mean go out and prove me wrong by all means but it's to do with money. If as in 1974 we had a team of players who lived, breathed, especially 'lived' the club and the area then that spirit might just see us progress again. But that team was undone by money in the end. In a way the same reason that secured success. All the players were on the same wages, it meant they really did pull together. When we got to the top flight the manager could not sign the striker so badly needed that might just have kept us up. Why - because he could not offer any potential signing more than what the rest of the team were on - that scuppered any possible deal. That was in 1974-75 - you don't need me to tell you how much football has moved on in a financial and business sense in the year 2002. But it is time for a change and the best of luck to Mr Courtenay - the away support at Spotland proves that this football club is still capable of putting a smile on the face and a spring in the step of the great Border City. Finally thanks to anyone who has written or e-mailed or said personally - the many kind and many moving about Legends of Carlisle United. I'm still reeling a bit from it all - you have doubts at times about such projects - you'll blown them away and I really would like to say a heartfelt 'Thankyou'. Oh and if that bloke in the far east or was it Thailand is reading - don't know your name pal but you came home for Christmas and didnt see any games because of the weather and then couldnt get the book as it was sold out - please get in touch again with your address and I'll make sure you get one. Anyone else wanting one there should now be some more at WH Smiths in Carlisle and the Bluebell Bookshop in Penrith has copies. Everyone else - including Sportspages in London - will be getting some more in the not too distant future! Hopefully - all being well - you might even be able to buy one in the CUFC club shop soon - without the guilt trip! Mick Mitchell mick.mitchell@bskyb.com |
