1973-74 Carlisle Utd away League Cup 3

Tuesday 6th November 1973, Brunton Park, Carlisle   LEAGUE CUP 3rd round  SEASON 1973-1974    

Carlisle United 0 CITY 1 (Lee)    Att: 14,472

After the marathon 2nd round tie against Walsall City moved through this 3rd round tie at the first attempt, if a little luckily. Tony Book, again in charge as Johnny Hart’s absence stretched to several weeks, put out the following side: MacRae; Pardoe, Donachie, Doyle, Booth; Oakes, Carrodus, Bell; Summerbee, Lee, Towers – Sub. Dennis Leman

Carlisle lined up thus:  Ross; Carr, Gorman, O’Neill, Green; Tiler, Martin, Balderstone; Owen, Clark, Laidlaw

Martin Daley, who is the author of Fourth First & Fulham, sent in this regarding the cup tie: “City came to Brunton Park under caretaker Tony Book (Johnny Hart was in hospital and still technically the manager although the poor guy’s days were numbered in the role).

 

The game was another epic from Carlisle’s period! City were returning for the first time in three years after Carlisle beat them in the same competition (definitely one of United’s greatest games, given City’s line-up). This occasion proved to be another cracker with both sides giving a good account of themselves.
The game started off in true David and Goliath fashion with the underdog starting strongly forcing a series of corners in the first twenty minutes. City’s defence held firm with Tommy Booth marshalling them well. Towers hit the bar and Bell and Lee both went close before the break.

During the second half Carlisle gradually looked the more likely side and as the game went into the final quarter, another shock looked on the cards. The key moment of the game came when Carlisle mounted another attack and actually hit the same post twice within a few seconds – City managed to clear the second effort and started a sweeping attack that end ed from Frannie Lee shooting low past Allan Ross for the only goal of the game.”

The win took City through to a 4th round tie away at York City. Having already played Walsall in a three-game marathon in the 2nd round, City would be facing their fifth game in the competition, despite only progressing through two rounds. This theme would be set to continue into the winter.

During the week, City made a signing to boost the Blues’ midfield, Mike Lester of Oldham coming in for a fee of £45,000. He had made 35 appearances for the Latics and had earlier been part of the Manchester Boys side and a regular on the Maine Road terraces too. Lester could walk to his new place of employment, as his home was a Keith MacRae punt away from the ground in Ardwick.

This was a goldern era for Carlisle, never to be repeated, as the following season they spent their one and only season in English football’s top flight, being relegated with fellow newcomers Luton Town at the end of that 1974-75 season. This was not before they had opened the season with a heroic win at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the season. It was a side packed with star names that would go down in the club’s folklore.

The club captain on this occasion and during the following top flight appearance was Bill Green, a genial Geordie centre half, who was as tidy as he was commanding at the heart of the Cumbrians defence. He marshalled Carlisle’s backline majestically against City, keeping the main threats of Lee and Summerbee quiet for long periods. Green would a little under a year later be responsible, after just 106 seconds of the opening day fixture, for Carlisle’s first-ever goal in the First Division, at Stamford Bridge in the club’s shock 2-0 victory. The Cumbrian s topped the table after three games, but were ultimately relegated. Green later moved to West Ham, where injury affected his chances and he dropped through the leagues thereafter to finish his career with Peterborough and Chesterfield. Sadly Green died in 2017. Below are some more of the major players for the home side in this match:

(above) A collection of Carlisle pen pics featuring Dennis Martin, Joe Laidlaw and Chris Balderstone.

Moving out of the Maine Road scene was revered journalist Eric Todd, whose articles decorate some of the match pages for this season. The Guardian writer with the poetic touch was hanging up his pen after a distinguished career describing the North West sport scene.