If Carlisle United’s life in the top-flight was destined to be a one-season affair only, the Blues at least managed to make their mark on a few of the English game's aristocrats in the process.
Not least Everton, against whom United have a 100 per cent record in league football. The Toffees were strong title contenders in 1974/5 and might have got there were it not for a pair of damaging defeats to Alan Ashman’s Cumbrians.
At Goodison Park, they fell victim to a stirring 3-2 comeback capped by a Les O’Neill winner for United. Come March, Billy Bingham’s side were right up there, in a championship race that involved Mersey rivals Liverpool and others including Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough and the emerging Derby County.
Carlisle, by this point, were bottom of the table and destined for a return to the Second Division. Their incredible start to 74/75 – three straight wins, top of the league – had faded into a more challenging campaign, when narrow, frustrating defeats were occasionally punctuated by some unforgettable wins.
Come Easter, they were still the only side to have beaten Everton at Goodison, while at Brunton Park they sized up their opponents and laid on arguably their finest First Division performance of all.
Their efforts were spearheaded by Joe Laidlaw, who entered the game in fine form with five goals in his last six games. There were recalls too for Chris Balderstone and John Gorman, and while Ashman’s resting of Allan Ross in goal meant a rare outing for Tom Clarke, it was at the other end where the real action thrillingly unfolded.
A crowd of 16,049 packed into Brunton Park for what would be United’s fourth-last First Division game. Everton had the prime goalscoring talent of Bob Latchford in attack and £300,000 signing Martin Dobson in midfield, as well as a big travelling support – and they began the game in positive manner.
Their supporters cannot have anticipated what was going to unfold when Everton set about Carlisle early on. Bill Green had to turn behind a Latchford shot while Clarke had to show composure in taking crosses.
At the other end Laidlaw almost set up Frank Clarke, before a Dobson centre for the Toffees went unrewarded. Tom Clarke saved bravely at Mick Buckley’s feet and it was taking time for Carlisle to show any real penetration of their own.
The first half was finely poised throughout, United custodian Clarke fearlessly denying Dave Clements, with Laidlaw and O’Neill close for the Blues downfield. Half-time brought an ovation for Carlisle’s stand-in keeper – and not yet the sign of what the game would become.
Yet a potent start to the second period by the Blues put Everton on their heels – and, eventually, broke them. More chances had passed by for Green and Dennis Martin until, in the 64th minute, the visitors cracked.
Martin was the architect, breaking into the penalty area before being tripped by Peter Scott. A penalty was awarded, and blasted home by Laidlaw, only for referee Peter Willis to order a retake after the visitors complained the ball had not been on the spot.
No problem for Laidlaw, who re-placed the ball and wellied it past keeper Dai Davies a second time.
Brunton Park erupted, and roared Ashman’s side on. Frank Clarke came close to a second, while Latchford missed the target at the other end and, come the 82nd minute, Carlisle were on the march again.
Another infringement gave United a leg-up, Steve Sergeant handling outside the box, and when Peter Carr fired the free-kick into the box, the alert Martin was there to guide it past Davies in style.
United’s memorable second goal had Everton floundering and you would not have known it was a contest between a relegation-bound team and a title chaser as these closing stages went on.
A third goal duly came, headed clinically home by Frank Clarke after a move involving Martin and Ray Train. Three-nil it finished, equalling Carlisle’s best win of their top-flight season (which came against future champions Derby), and an tenth win of their 12 at First Division level.
They backed it up three days later with a second Easter victory, this time a 4-2 win over Burnley at Brunton Park, and it had to be said that United were going down fighting.
Their campaign came to a close a month after the Everton game. For their opponents, the four points they had dropped against Carlisle had a further agonising look when the final table showed them three adrift of top side Derby – with whom the Blues drew 0-0 on the last day.
All these years on, Carlisle’s exploits at the summit of the game are celebrated at Brunton Park with a recently-refurbished 74/75 Lounge. It is an appropriate tribute to the boys who took the club closer to the sun than at any other time.
United: T Clarke, Carr, Gorman, Green, Parker, O’Neill, Train, Martin, Balderstone (McCartney), Laidlaw, F Clarke.
Everton: Davies, Scott, Sergeant, Clements (Pearson), Kenyon, Hurst, Buckley, Dobson, Lyons, Latchford, Jones.
Crowd: 16,049.
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