As Carlisle United wait for their first win since promotion after four league games, we take a look at the nine previous times the Blues have gone up – and how long it’s taken them to find their feet.
1962
To date, the longest wait for a victory after promotion came in the 1962/3 Division Three season. Ivor Powell’s Blues, after going up for the first time in the club’s history, endured a difficult start at the higher level.
After five defeats and three draws, they finally got off the mark at the ninth attempt, when George Walker shot United to a 1-0 win over Halifax Town in late September. The struggles, though, went on and Carlisle went back down in second bottom place.
1964
The polar opposite to their previous promotion in all ways. Carlisle got off to an immediate flier back in the third tier, as legendary frontman Hugh McIlmoyle got the only goal in an opening-day victory at Colchester United.
That set the stage for another campaign to remember. A solid first half of the season was followed by a second half of real momentum – and Alan Ashman’s Blues claimed the Division Three title to secure back-to-back promotions.
1965
Carlisle’s first ever season in Division Two may have seemed a daunting challenge – but it wasn’t to Ashman’s high-fliers the moment they stepped up.
It’s hard to imagine a better start than the one they executed in 1965/66. Their very first game at the higher level saw a 4-1 home victory over Norwich City, with Ronnie Simpton, Frank Large and new signing Chris Balderstone scoring. A respectable 14th-placed campaign followed.
1974
The most famous opening-day of all. Carlisle, having hit the rare heights of the First Division, were into winning ways in their very first game of 1974/75.
It was an iconic afternoon at Stamford Bridge as Bill Green’s close-range prod and Les O’Neill’s curling cross proved too good for Chelsea. After that 2-0 victory, two more wins followed and the Blues were briefly top of the entire league before they slid back down to relegation.
1982
Carlisle’s habit after promotion has tended to be to start well, and 1982/83 was no different after Bob Stokoe had led the Blues back up to the second tier.
A trip to Derby County was their first test – and they passed it spectacularly, with summer arrivals Alan Shoulder (two) and Malcolm Poskett getting the goals at the Baseball Ground. The season became more challenging after that but safety was eventually assured along with a 14th-placed finish.
1995
So far the 1995/96 season remains the second slowest start by a Blues promoted side. Mick Wadsworth’s team had won Division Three in style the previous term, but life higher up proved more troublesome than many had imagined.
An opening-day defeat to Bristol Rovers was an early marker and it was not until their sixth game that Carlisle picked up a league win, as Warren Aspinall and Paul Conway sealed a 2-0 win for Burnley: one of too few memorable days in an anti-climactic slide back down.
1997
Another promotion, another difficult start. This time under Mervyn Day, the Blues had risen in third place from Division Three and began with a draw at Southend United, before losing three on the spin.
Finally they got a win at the fifth time of asking, thanks to Gareth McAlindon’s late winner against Wigan Athletic at Brunton Park. But one game later and Day was controversially sacked – and the Blues could not arrest their latest decline, going straight back down again.
2005
Promotion back from the Conference was a sign of welcome and dramatic turnaround under Paul Simpson, and United acclimatised well as they returned to League Two.
They started with a draw at Wycombe Wanderers and then won their second league game, a Karl Hawley header earning a 1-0 home win over Peterborough United. After mixed form took them into autumn, the Blues put their foot down and memorably went on to win the championship.
2006
Until this year United’s most recent promotion, they followed it with a change of manager (Neil McDonald replacing Preston-bound Simpson) but still took good momentum into the third tier.
It took them just four minutes in League One to get their first goal, Paul Murray’s strike against Doncaster securing a 1-0 win that had them off and running. A fine effort in general across 2006/7 brought a late play-off flirtation before a highly creditable eighth-placed finish.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here