Carlisle United: 50th anniversary of 1974/75 season part 13

Carlisle United were on the up again…or so they were tempted to think. After a recent barren run, a draw at Tottenham Hotspur followed by a 3-0 thrashing of Derby County had reinvigorated the Blues in their First Division adventures.

The emphatic win over the fancied Rams had seen goals return to the team in style. It had also, reckoned manager Alan Ashman, been a strong tribute to the depth of his squad.

“What has particularly pleased me is the fact that these last two games were played with men who were standing in for others sidelined through injury,” Ashman said.

“In fact now all my senior players have had a first-team outing this term.”

It was a better problem to have, certainly, and the lack of a midweek game after the Derby win meant Ashman could work on the fitness of certain players who were in need of a boost.

Keeper Allan Ross was in light training after an ankle injury, which he had aggravated taking goal kicks, had limited his recent involvement. Midfielder Les O’Neill was also being managed cautiously because of a hamstring problem with Joe Laidlaw’s troublesome ankle also keeping him out.

Alan Ashman was pleased with his squad (Image: PA)

Ross had seen Tom Clarke take his place in goal temporarily, but the legendary Scot was philosophical. “Usually I’m a bad spectator, but I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed the Derby County game,” Ross wrote in his Evening News & Star column. “If the lads keep producing results such as this, it will soften the blow of being injured very considerably.”

Ross, looking ahead, pointed out that United’s next opponents, Coventry City, had the second-worst defensive record in the First Division to date. The trip to Highfield Road would be a reunion for United’s record summer signing, defender Bobby Parker, and a chance to consolidate their improvement.

One man who wouldn’t be making the trip, though, was another defender, Tot Winstanley. Ashman had sanctioned a loan move for Winstanley to Brighton & Hove Albion, the 26-year-old set to head to the south coast on a trial period before a proposed permanent departure.

Tot Winstanley's move to Brighton was in the offing in October 1974 (Image: News & Star)

Winstanley had been at United since 1969 and his time with the club had included a famous winner in Roma's Stadio Olimpico, but the rise of Bill Green and Parker had left him out of the first-choice reckoning. A proposed fee of £20,000 was discussed while Ashman was looking at the market for potential back-up replacements.

That would depend on funds – something the Blues’ Supporters’ Club had in healthy number. They made a profit of nearly £25,000 during the most recent financial year, while accounts showed they had donated £14,325 to Carlisle United, as well as repaying a £6,528 loan from the club; a sum they had borrowed amid a move to new premises.

While there was upheaval elsewhere in Cumbrian football – this was the week when Workington Reds’ manager George Aitken resigned from the Football League’s bottom club – United headed for the West Midlands in fair spirit.

Alas, things went against them at Highfield Road and a new period of First Division struggle began to unfold.

Ashman named Parker captain for the day and the defender received a warm reception from the home fans as he led United out. A scrappy contest then played out, one which required Parker to make an important early block to deny Tommy Hutchison.

Dennis Mortimer went close for the hosts before Carlisle’s forays saw Frank Clarke thwarted by alert home keeper Neil Ramsbottom. Hutchison, on the wing, was a leading threat for Coventry and, although Dennis Martin whistled a shot just past the post for Carlisle, the home side soon gained the initiative.

The opener came from a corner, as United struggled to clear Hutchison’s delivery, and when full-back Chris Catlin fired in a shot, defender Larry Lloyd managed to flick it beyond keeper Clarke and into the net.

Carlisle’s response was at least brisk, and within five minutes they were level. Martin was the creator with a brilliant run on the left and, when Ramsbottom could not hold his cross, Frank Clarke was there to poach from eight yards.

United sought to build on their equaliser, with Chris Balderstone and Bobby Owen at the heart of further opportunities, Ashman’s side playing the superior football in what was left of the first half.

Indeed, a slow handclap went around Coventry’s ground as home supporters registered their frustration. Gordon Milne’s side appeared there for the taking but Carlisle could not see them off and it would cost them in the end.

Larry Lloyd was United's scourge at Highfield Road (Image: PA)

Balderstone saw another dangerous delivery hacked clear but, after the break, the hosts improved. Colin Stein hammered a header against the crossbar a minute after the restart and, after another scrappy spell, lightning struck again on 63 minutes.

Once more a set-piece unlocked Carlisle, and once more it was Lloyd who made the difference. Mortimer’s corner this time picked out Lloyd and the former Liverpool man rose above United to head his second, this combination involving two men who would go on to win the European Cup with respective clubs (Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest).

From here, Milne’s side finally showed some of the quality which had seen them go unbeaten in their previous six games. Carlisle were not without their invention in pursuit of another leveller – Martin denied by Lloyd, and then substitute Hugh McIlmoyle setting up Martin for another chance which was blocked on the line – and the Blues kept going to the end.

It was not to be. McIlmoyle and Mike Barry could not find the necessary room to make the most of late chances and a 2-1 defeat brought the Blues back to earth after their previous happier outings.

Things were about to get harder still.

Read last week's 1974/75 feature HERE