CUST: Why Simmo will always be on a Carlisle United pedestal

He steered a team spiralling uncontrollably towards relegation to safety. He took a team that had no right to be in the promotion shake up to Wembley glory.

Prior to that, through no fault of his own he oversaw the worst of times, dropping out of the Football League for the first time in 76 years, and the best of times, taking the club from its absolute knees to back to back promotions to League One. 

Taking over a 'team' following the disastrous end of the Roddy Collins era in 2003, just by keeping United's survival hopes alive until the penultimate game was nothing short of remarkable after the absolute car crash of the first half of the season.

That first spell at the helm included the final game of Paul's distinguished playing career, fitting that it was also the day the Blues collected the League Two title. The celebrations back on the pitch at Brunton Park after a goalless draw at Stockport were yet another highlight of his time at Carlisle. 

Of course for many the halo tilted slightly when he moved on to Preston the following summer, but no one could really begrudge one of our own testing themselves at a higher level and dare I say at a bigger club. 

The small matter of a World Cup win pales into insignificance to the achievements of the second coming commencing on February 23, 2022. A beleaguered team, club and fan base, weary from the Holdsworth years and a mauling from a certain Harry McKirdy, went on a quite ridiculous run of six wins in seven games.

To quote another influential character in our club's history, the buzz was definitely back.

What came next is so well documented that it requires no further comment, but that 'Weekend in Paradise' will live long in the memory for all fans, and for that one sun-drenched afternoon alone we should raise Paul high on a pedestal.

It needs to be acknowledged that this was not a solo performance and it is with genuine sadness that we see Gavin Skelton leave the club.

Gavin has been subject to frankly quite bizarre abuse from certain areas of the fanbase whenever the team has struggled. I have yet to see a single player who has been under his tutelage have anything but positive words to say about his involvement.

His long service with the Blues in a myriad of positions deserves the utmost admiration and recognition.

Paul Simpson will rightly be the subject of much of the media attention but Gavin's role in the successes of recent years and his endeavours in hard times should not pass by without the gratitude he deserves.

Jake Simpson and Billy Barr also left the club and again like Gavin, Billy was subject to unwarranted criticism.

A perhaps ill-judged comment on the move down the M6 in 2006 was never forgiven, but people have said and done far worse and been given a second chance. Billy was an integral cog in Paul's first spell at the club and will be as disappointed as anyone that his return couldn't have reversed the decline.

CUST say Paul Simpson, Gavin Skelton, Billy Barr (all pictured) plus Jake Simpson, Geoff Haugh and Paul's wife Jacqui deserve thanks (Image: Ben Holmes)

Jake moved up on the dream ticket to work with his dad and it may have been only for a short time, but I hope it was as rewarding as that should be.

Finally on the subject of The Simpsons, a word of thanks to Paul's wonderful wife Jacqui, who will no doubt be feeling this as much as anyone having seen her husband and son's fate this week, but her behind-the-scenes unheralded contribution to the club, the players' residences and families should not be overlooked. 

Another trusted lieutenant, Geoff Haugh ended his second spell with the club at the weekend and he also leaves with thanks for his sterling service.

There has understandably been an outpouring of respect and thanks for the memories and the legacy that is left behind. From some minority quarters there is fanfare and an awful lot of ignorance of history.

Supporting football is about opinions and we all enjoy the healthy debate. At the end of the day football is, and always has been a results business.

The four will have been acutely aware of this, but stripping away the context of the football industry, four good, committed family men lost their livelihoods on Saturday evening and anyone who can take any joy from that needs to take a serious look at themselves because these guys deserve more than that.

Multiple generations of Carlisle fans have embraced having a genuine local hero at the helm - his tenure has been nothing short of inspirational. 

We had Super Paul Simpson. He knew exactly what we needed. In Simmo we trusted time and time again and he rarely let us down. Thank you Paul.