I first started to think of what to write in this introduction on May 14, 2004. How many of you, without reading further, already know why that date was so significant for Carlisle United Football Club. A large number of you no doubt! Even now I can recall the mixture of emotions that were swirling around inside my head, inside my heart, inside everywhere it seemed as the train made its way back to London. It was a return journey for me of course – that days destination having been Doncaster! Even though the Conference had finally got their hands on CUFC just look at what we so nearly achieved. I can’t think of many teams who could have only five points come Christmas – some 17 behind the next closest club – and come so near to even outdoing the achievements of Sir James Glass. Can you? The club is starting to find its feet again but folks still need reminding that had it not been for John Courtenay Carlisle would no longer have a Football club. Really does not bare thinking about eh! And the new board are working hard now to clear up the mess CUFC was left in. So as I said earlier these notes for the introduction of this new book were already forming after that awful day at Doncaster. And here’s another reason I’d never swap CUFC for another club!. Did any of you at Donny, feel like me – proud to be a Blues fan. Tough one to explain, but we were already relegated, they were getting the Div Three Trophy, (and the facilities at the ground were a disgrace) but with only 1500 tickets given to The Blues, all you could hear for 90 minutes was the sound of Carlisle United fans.! Literally for the whole match. Amazing really and the thing was that’s how it had been getting more and more towards the end off the season. More away support than even when we’ve ever been successful. So let me explain why this book about United has come about! A few years back I wrote one called “Legends of Carlisle United”. Most people were very, very kind about it. The only criticism was from a few of the lads and lasses who felt they were too young to remember any of those featured in it and would have liked to have more on some of the modern United players. Plus the fact you could feature 100 who have turned out in the Blue shirt and someone would still moan about some player not being included! It hasn’t been all doom and gloom over recent years so this publication will be along the format of “Legends” – except featuring a few more of our modern players! The aim will be for quality, rather than quantity (and you’ll be the judge of that) but as before the plan is to feature one player from each position – plus the boss. We’ve had some characters (and some good players) at this club over the years and part of that went into the choice of who to include, in the hope of perhaps cheering folks up along with the odd laugh even. Because I can promise you one thing – nearly every player featured in “These Are The Days with Carlisle United” was a character in their own right and very popular with the fans during their time at the home of football. Not many of them live in these parts now so as ever the travelling all around the country has been a flipping nightmare. But meeting up with the fellas again was brilliant, gave me a real buzz and was also moving in many ways too. Hope those emotions also come across to you when reading the book. Enjoy it! Respect Mick |
