Carlisle United: 50th anniversary of 1974/75 season part 7

The latest week of Carlisle United’s 1974/75 campaign was a particularly meaningful one for Les O’Neill, given that it took the Blues’ midfield star back to not one but two of his former homes.

First, in the League Cup, it was a trip to Bradford City, the club from which O’Neill had joined Carlisle for a mere £6,000 two years earlier. Then, back in the First Division, United would go to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park, where O’Neill had started his professional career.

It is fair to say that the latter trip was more enticing on the calendar than the former, given that the Bradford mission saw Carlisle’s high-fliers taking on a side from the Fourth Division.

Yet it still represented the chance to embellish their exciting league endeavours with a cup run. Alan Ashman, the United boss, was clear about the importance of the second round fixture.

“This isn’t the sort of tie which will make us any money, but these days the League Cup is a competition with quite a lot of prestige attached to it, and games like this one have to be played if you are to get on,” Ashman said.

Not a thrilling build-up, perhaps, but Ashman – who had watched Bradford lose to Exeter City in their previous Fourth Division home game – approached it with due seriousness. A full first-team squad went to Yorkshire while there was a reprieve for Frank Clarke, recalled to the attack despite recently submitting a transfer request.

“I have decided to play three forward players,” said Ashman, installing Clarke in place of midfielder Mike Barry. Yet in the event it was another midfield man – former Bantam O’Neill – who made the difference at Valley Parade.

Les O'Neill, left, got the only goal for United at his former club Bradford (Image: News & Star)

It was far from a comfortable League Cup night as Bradford came at United aggressively, denying them the time and space to weave their footballing patterns. On a tight pitch, the Blues survived an early scare when Bobby Ham couldn’t get enough meat on an Ian Cooper cross.

Otherwise, Carlisle found it easier to contain their hosts’ counter-attacks, while United themselves looked to build through Chris Balderstone, who combined with Clarke to set up Joe Laidlaw for a shot that cannoned off the post.

By the 38th minute, the Blues were ahead, pouncing on an error from home defender John Napier as Laidlaw crossed from the left and O’Neill arrived to bundle it home.

It proved enough. Bradford were increasingly spirited in their second half efforts and United were never comfortable, and a goalmouth scramble following a Don Hutchins centre caused concern.

The scenes at the end of United's victory at Valley Parade, as Parker, left, and scorer O'Neill leave the pitch (Image: News & Star)

The aerial prowess of Bill Green and his fellow Blues defenders helped, though, fend off other danger, and Carlisle eventually made it home with a 1-0 win. Their reward was another tie from the less glamorous end of things: a trip to Colchester United, from the Third Division.

“It’s the supporters I feel sorry for with a draw like this,” said trainer Dick Young. “It’s a bit of a blow for the real die-hards who like to watch us play away from home.”

Back to league business, then, with O’Neill, Balderstone and Green with knocks to nurse ahead of the Newcastle trip. The clash with the Magpies was an exciting one bearing in mind it was Carlisle’s first trip to St James’ Park since their famous victory in the FA Cup in 1968.

Clarke retained his place and a strong Carlisle contingent headed east to join a 40,544 crowd. Newcastle had faced the Cumbrians recently, in the Texaco Cup, and their side was familiar with the likes of Malcolm MacDonald, Terry McDermott, Ian McFaul and Tommy Cassidy.

They had experienced a mixed start to 1974/75 themselves and the First Division encounter with the Blues proved one that remained close to call, right up until the dramatic finish.

Carlisle, after the grind at Bradford, were able to play some of their more constructive football and, for good spells, seemed well set to take a good result from St James’ Park. They grew into things after a menacing Newcastle start which saw John Tudor shoot against the outside of the stanchion, while keeper Allan Ross saved well from Micky Burns and Tudor.

United gradually drew Newcastle’s sting and began to gain territory. All it lacked, as things went on, was a killer chance. Carlisle’s second-half play was often bright, with Hugh McIlmoyle excellent in leading the line, and the closest they came was when keeper McFaul spilled a Balderstone cross and, as McIlmoyle looked to finish, Frank Clark managed to get the ball away just in time for the hosts.

John Gorman was United's star man at Newcastle but the Blues were hit by a late goal (Image: News & Star)

That sort of attack offered hope which Carlisle, alas, could not consolidate. In other respects they were impressive – John Gorman so good on the left that the dangerous Burns moved inside from the wing to the centre – but their failure to score left them at the mercy of events.

And, three minutes from time, they were savagely punished. Jimmy Smith, a substitute for McDermott, received a pass from Terry Hibbitt and made it to the byline. His cut-back was accurate, and Tudor was there to ram it into the net and win it for Harvey's side.

A 1-0 defeat did not reflect United’s overall play but it highlighted something which had the potential to become a persistent First Division concern. A lack of punch up front, at this still early stage, seemingly had the potential to derail some of Carlisle’s best top-flight efforts.

READ LAST WEEK'S 1974/75 FEATURE HERE