Wherever Carlisle United go, however far they eventually reach, they will always be chasing the achievement of the boys of 1974. The Blues’ promotion to England’s top division stands unsurpassed in the club’s history and the passing of time only urges us to treasure the feat a little more.

In the end, after a campaign of solid effort and surging form, it came down to two games: Carlisle at home to Aston Villa, and then the Villans’ trip to Leyton Orient a few days later. A win for the Blues and a mis-step by Orient was the required combination, and thrillingly it came off in the space of a few spring days.

United’s own Division Two climax occurred without one of the men who had made their rise possible. Skipper Bill Green’s accumulation of bookings left him suspended for their final two games, at Oxford and against Villa. This brought Tot Winstanley back into Alan Ashman’s defence, and Bobby Owen’s goal was enough for victory at Oxford.

This gave Ashman’s side the opportunity to follow Jack Charlton’s Middlesbrough and Luton Town into the First Division. United had not beaten Villa in 10 attempts but when they finally broke that run it was through a display which was more about the holding of nerve than the demonstration of football at its slickest.

United’s job was to cut through the tension and this they did in front of a 12,494 crowd, who saw Joe Laidlaw have an early effort saved and Dennis Martin fire over the crossbar as the Cumbrians searched for an early goal.

It duly came in the 11th minute and was a tribute to the kind of adept work United had demonstrated under Ashman and the legendary trainer, Dick Young. It began with Chris Balderstone’s short pass to John Gorman just inside the Villa half, and continued as the left-back Gorman beat a man and crossed into the penalty area.

Owen was there and timed his jump well, and when he flicked the ball on, Laidlaw powered it home from six yards.

This was noisily acclaimed and gave United protection against an attempted Villa fightback. Shortly before the break the visitors came strongly at Carlisle and it required a brave Allan Ross save at the feet of Bobby Campbell to preserve the lead.

Pat McMahon then struck the left-hand post and either side of half-time there was further cause for concern, especially when Ray Graydon met an Ian Hamilton chip and sent the ball goalwards – only, again, to be denied by Ross as the keeper touched the ball against the bar.

Amid this pressure, the Cumbrians required a boost to preserve their fantasy of top-flight football. Eventually it came down another reliable route. Winger Martin was the provider this time, as he held off a challenge and crossed from the left. Frank Clarke was free in the middle, and his header was good enough to evade the diving Jim Cumbes’ left hand.

From this point, the 66th minute, United looked more secure and although Villa possessed enough enterprise to stay in the contest, Carlisle had the prevailing wind. Winstanley had proved a more than able deputy for Green, while Ray Train was his usual industrious self in midfield.

They reached full-time without further scares, their 2-0 victory also putting them ahead of Blackpool, and they could finally celebrate when, later, Ashman, his players and staff congregated in the offices of Cumbrian Newspapers on Dalston Road. Some players travelled to London to watch Orient’s game against Villa while others – including the pipe-smoking chairman George Sheffield – received news of the eventual 1-1 draw back in the Great Border City.

The corks popped and United, remarkably, were a top-flight team. Telegrams fluttered into Brunton Park from all corners of the world, including America, New Zealand, Australia and Greece, and into Wetheral Post Office, opposite the Ashmans' home.

Bill Shankly would famously describe the achievement of his former club as the greatest in the history of the game, while the mild-mannered Ashman heralded the spirit of celebration. “After all we’ve been through, we deserve a good time,” he said.

It was all the more precious knowing that it turned out to be so fleeting. Green had his day in the sun, scoring United’s first-ever top-flight goal at Chelsea, and though Carlisle came straight back down, they enjoyed some other notable days at the summit, topping the table after three games, dispatching a premium Everton side twice, and destroying eventual champions Derby 3-0 at Brunton Park: outstanding highlights of an incredible, elusive Cumbrian football time.

United: Ross, Carr, Gorman, O’Neill, Winstanley, Balderstone, Martin, Train, Owen, Clarke, Laidlaw. Sub: Ternent.

Villa: Cumbes, Robson, McDonald, McMahon, Nicholl, Ross, Graydon, Campbell, Morgan, Hamilton, Little. Sub: Vowden.

Crowd: 12,494.