Carlisle United will this weekend play their first League One game for more than nine years.
But what about the last Blues XI to play at this level, in 2013/14’s final game against Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Here’s what that team did next…
JORDAN PICKFORD
You probably know this one…Pickford, then on loan with the Blues from Sunderland, has gone on to be Everton and England’s No1 – a far cry from Carlisle’s slide out of the third tier.
DAVID SYMINGTON
The wide man and long-range shooting specialist from Workington is now playing for Workington Reds. Symington has become a long-serving and impressive performer for Danny Grainger’s team over the last seven years.
MATTY ROBSON
Left winger/left-back Robson was a stalwart of Carlisle’s better League One days under Greg Abbott, including a fine display in the 2011 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final win at Wembley. After leaving in 2015 he dropped into the Northern League with Shildon and then Coxhoe Club.
SEAN O’HANLON
Centre-half O’Hanlon, after a two-and-a-half year stay with United, moved onto Stockport County for his last spell in the professional game before retirement. He was last year named manager of Marine’s Under-23s in his native Merseyside.
REECE BROWN
The younger brother of former Manchester United defender Wes, Brown junior ended the 2013/14 campaign on loan with the Blues from Watford. Spells at Barnsley, Bury, Sheffield United, Bury again and Rochdale followed. He then went into coaching at Man Utd, Rochdale and Oldham Athletic, and went on to be involved in the WB06 Academy alongside his brother.
JAMES BERRETT
Berrett turned down a new deal at Carlisle that summer and instead joined Yeovil Town, before drifting into non-league via York City, Grimsby Town and Halifax Town before moving to lower levels with Grantham, Buxton and Newark Flowserve.
LIAM NOBLE
Feisty midfielder Noble moved on from the Blues after relegation. After spells with Notts County, Forest Green Rovers and Hartlepool United, he moved into non-league with Morpeth Town in 2019, and is still there.
BRAD POTTS
One of the stars in United’s season of struggle, Potts was an emerging star after breaking through the youth team and into the first team. After shining in League Two in 2014/15, he was sold to Blackpool and, following a spell with Barnsley, has been a Championship regular with Preston North End since 2019.
DANNY REDMOND
Diminutive midfielder Redmond was on loan from Wigan Athletic in Carlisle’s most recent League One campaign. Since then he has played for Hamilton Academical and, since 2018, Welsh club The New Saints, where he has been involved in European football including, this summer, a Europa Conference League defeat to Luxembourg’s Swift Hesperange.
DAVID AMOO
Well-travelled former Liverpool winger Amoo is on his sixth club since his time at Carlisle ended a year after relegation. He moved on to Patrick Thistle, then Cambridge United, Port Vale, Stevenage and Crewe Alexandra before joining Ebbsfleet United this summer.
LEE MILLER
The target-man who almost inspired Carlisle to the play-offs in 2012 left the Blues after relegation. From there he returned north of the border with Falkirk and Kilmarnock, and had a spell as joint manager at Falkirk from 2019-21. Now a barber, his 16-year-old son Lennon is a rising star with Motherwell and Scotland.
Subs
MARK GILLESPIE
Carlisle’s former No1, who came through the Blues’ youth team, remained until 2017, leaving after their League Two play-off defeat under Keith Curle. After a spell at Walsall and a stint at Motherwell, he rejoined home-city club Newcastle, where he had been a trainee and where he has been a squad man since 2020.
PASCAL CHIMBONDA
The France international and former Premier League defender’s last game in English league football was as a Blues substitute at Molineux. A spell back in French football followed, before he returned to England and came out of retirement to appear for non-league sides Washington and Ashton Town. He now runs his own football and education academy, PC39 Academy.
KYLE DEMPSEY
The Maryport midfielder, who came through Carlisle’s academy, was still a youth player when handed his first-team debut during 2013/14’s relegation battle. The Wolves game was only his fourth senior appearance. Dempsey starred the following term and was sold to Huddersfield Town. After spells with Fleetwood Town, Peterborough United and Gillingham, he will face Carlisle this season with Bolton Wanderers, where he has been since January 2022.
SAM BYRNE
Dubliner Byrne was one of a glut of loan signings made by Kavanagh in the second half of the 2013/14 season. Then on Everton’s books, Byrne joined Dundalk in 2018 and went on to have spells at Bohemians and University College Dublin.
PATRICK BROUGH
Another academy product at Carlisle, Brough’s spells in the Blues’ first team were followed by moves to Morecambe, Falkirk and Barrow. His displays over four years in south Cumbria earned him a League One move, and he’ll face Carlisle with fellow promoted side Northampton Town in 2023/24.
LEWIS GUY
Cumbrian forward Guy, after a season with the Blues, moved on to Gateshead, then turned out for Barrow, Chorley and Annan Athletic.
COURTNEY MEPPEN-WALTER
The former Manchester City defender, who was given a fresh chance by Carlisle after his release from prison after causing the deaths of two people by dangerous driving, left the Blues in 2015. After a number of non-league moves the 28-year-old is currently on Guiseley’s books, recently signing a new deal.
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