Part eight of our weekly 50th anniversary series charting the events of Carlisle United’s 1974/75 top-flight season....
The increasingly clear problem in Carlisle United’s otherwise positive start to life as a top-flight club was not lost on manager Alan Ashman – so much so that the manager cancelled an important engagement in order to try and rectify it.
Ashman had been due to head to Glasgow to watch his former club Olympiakos take on Celtic in the European Cup. But a last-minute decision saw Ashman head south instead.
“I had wanted to see the match as it was the first opportunity to see my old club in this country since I returned to Brunton Park,” said Ashman. “But it was a case of priorities for me.”
The expectation was that Ashman was looking at players who could add a sharper goal threat to the Blues’ otherwise admired play. They had scored just once in their most recent four games and, in the latest – a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United – this appeared more than ever the issue that could hinder them in the First Division.
It soon became apparent which player was in United’s sights – yet it was a midfielder, not a striker, in the crosshairs. John McGovern, who had joined Leeds United from Derby County little more than a month ago, was reportedly unsettled, and Carlisle tried to capitalise.
A £50,000 offer, which would be just shy of the Blues’ transfer record, was tabled and this occurred just over a week after Brian Clough’s short and notorious spell as Leeds boss had come to an end.
The Elland Road club confirmed that Carlisle had made an offer for McGovern (who would eventually be a European Cup- winning captain under Clough at Nottingham Forest), Ashman having visited Leeds to watch their European Cup clash with Zurich that week, though the Blues boss was less open about the details. “We don’t talk about any business that this club is involved in until that business is finalised,” he told the Evening News & Star.
A board meeting at Leeds was due consider the offer soon, while Carlisle’s own directors had come down decisively against a transfer request tabled by Blues frontman Frank Clarke.
He had pushed his way back into the team in recent games and Ashman said: “The board considered Frank’s request but they felt they could only turn it down.”
Clarke, then, continued in the ranks at a time young defender Mike McCartney was recovering from a broken foot. The 20-year-old had the plaster removed amid his progress back to fitness.
In the meantime, it was back to Brunton Park for the first of a double-header, with Birmingham City the visitors before Manchester City followed. After four winless games, it was a chance for Carlisle to get back on the horse against a Birmingham team that included former United hitman Bob Hatton as well as the burgeoning talent of 20-year-old Trevor Francis.
Things got under way amid blustery conditions which affected the quality of proceedings, though United made more of the running and had enough – just – to earn them the result they wanted.
Peter Carr made the first inroad with a cross that tested keeper Dave Latchford, while Chris Balderstone showed good anticipation to snuff out a run by the dangerous Francis.
Hatton, for Birmingham, almost set up Kenny Burns, who later missed another good chance, but otherwise it was United on top, Hugh McIlmoyle coming close from a John Gorman cross as the Blues’ full-backs overlapped effectively.
Latchford produced a superb save to deny Balderstone while Ray Train also went close, before Bobby Parker kept things level at the break with a fine last-ditch challenge on Francis.
The real drama then came in the second half and, after Bill Green had passed up a good Carlisle chance, the reliable figure of Les O’Neill made no mistake when a chance came his way in the 56th minute.
It arrived courtesy of a rare Balderstone blemish. McIlmoyle was brought down by Birmingham’s Malcolm Page and referee Peter Willis had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Latchford dived to parry Balderstone’s penalty – but O’Neill was more alert than anyone to the rebound as he arrived to slot it home.
Freddie Goodwin’s Birmingham remained incensed by the awarding of the penalty in the first place and continued their protests after O’Neill had netted. Defender Archie Styles’ anger towards a linesman was too vehement for Willis’ liking – and the referee promptly sent off Styles.
United’s goal appeared to lift some of the tension, although the ten men of Birmingham did not play like beaten men. Winger Gordon Taylor – the future Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive – unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards which whipped just over Allan Ross's bar, and Carlisle’s inability to kill the game kept the visitors interested, with ex-Everton star Howard Kendall also in the Birmingham midfield.
McIlmoyle and Joe Laidlaw passed up good opportunities but United were glad not to come under further sustained assault in the closing stages, and a 12,691 crowd ultimately saw them back to winning ways.
O’Neill, as before in these early top-flight days, had made the difference. “These five goals in nine games have been my best-ever start to a season, although I don’t really see myself as a striker,” the midfielder said.
“The goals to me are really just a bonus.” A bonus United were extremely grateful for, as they prepared to take on another City: the Manchester version.
READ LAST WEEK’S 1974/75 FEATURE HERE
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