Carlisle may not have often dipped into the non-league ranks in recent seasons but Richie Bennett, finally signed from Barrow last week after a long chase, is hardly alone in following such a route to Brunton Park.

The striker arrives at the Blues after an impressive season at Holker Street in the National League. Before that, he emerged through Curzon Ashton, Mossley, Ashton United and Northwich, having initially dropped into non-league from Oldham.

It is a well-trodden path for players who have sought either to reignite their careers down the pyramid - Tom Miller another current example - or those who have started out at levels below the Football League but risen impressively.

Here are eight other notable figures who have stepped up to Carlisle over the years.

1. PETER GARBUTT

From: Crook Town

The Corbridge-born defender played for South Shields and then Crook, the County Durham club who notably won the FA Amateur Cup at Wembley with a 2-1 win over Enfield in 1964.

Blond-haired Garbutt was Crook's captain on that famous day and, at 24, it capped a series of performances that had caught Carlisle's eye.

He joined the Blues that year under Alan Ashman after United had clinched promotion back to Division Three. It took a couple of years for Garbutt to become a regular in the Carlisle side but once established in the 1966/7 season he became one of their most dependable players.

His stint included an ever-present season in Division Two in 1967/8 - a campaign that also saw an impressive FA Cup win at Newcastle - and by the end of his spell, in 1970, he had made 148 mostly solid appearances in a blue shirt.

2. PAUL BANNON

From: Bridgend Town

Dubliner Bannon was first picked up by Nottingham Forest but then headed into non-league after being released, first with Corby, then in Wales with Ammanford and Bridgend.

Bobby Moncur then brought him to Brunton Park in 1979 and the big, rangy striker became a crowd favourite with the Blues. Known for his bravery and maximum effort, he went on to make 164 appearances for the Cumbrians, scoring 52 goals.

This included a 19-goal haul in 1979/80 under Martin Harvey, while Bannon figured alongside the brilliant Peter Beardsley that year and the following campaign.

Played his part in the side that earned promotion to the second tier in 1982, later moving on to Darlington, Bristol Rovers, Cardiff and Plymouth before spells in Holland, Greece and his native Ireland. He died in February last year, aged 59.

3. DEAN WALLING

From: Guiseley

The story of one of United's most popular players of recent times began at Leeds, where Walling was an apprentice, before a stint at Rochdale and then Guiseley.

It was at the Yorkshire non-league club where Walling made his mark as a young striker, including a goal at Wembley in the FA Vase.

He joined the Blues in a period of struggle in 1991 but it was his conversion to centre-half before manager Aidan McCaffery's departure that saw Walling's career and reputation take off.

As United then grew in Michael Knighton's early years, he became an increasingly influential presence, displaying a canny goalscoring knack at set-pieces.

The chant of "Deano, Deano" became a regular sound at Brunton Park in the promotions of 1995 and 1997 before his surprise departure to Lincoln, where he was made captain.

4. MARK BIRCH

From: Northwich Victoria

If it feels a rarity for Carlisle to fork out a fee for a player today, it was arguably even more surprising when they did so in 2000, a time when the club was knee-deep in problems.

The Blues' 1990s heyday was over, replaced by basement struggles which had only been eased by Jimmy Glass' miracle and another last-day escape.

With fans turning on Michael Knighton, Ian Atkins was the manager charged with building a competitive team. That summer he raided Conference strugglers for right-back Birch, and the £10,000 signing became an instant regular.

Among his 121 United appearances was a battling display in the memorable FA Cup tussle with Arsenal, and he remained a popular figure through some difficult seasons until Roddy Collins allowed him to leave for Gretna in 2003.

Later returned to Northwich for a brief spell before moving into coaching, returning to work in Carlisle's academy in recent years.

5. BRIAN WAKE

From: Tow Law Town

Wake had developed a goalscoring reputation with Tow Law in the Northern League before joining Carlisle under Collins in the summer of 2002.

The striker came amid an influx of new faces as the John Courtenay takeover heralded a new era at Brunton Park. Wake came off the bench to score in that season's big-crowd opener against Hartlepool and later claimed a hat-trick against Boston at Brunton Park.

But it was the second treble of his Blues career for which Wake is best remembered - at Shrewsbury in the season's penultimate game, enabling Carlisle to clinch survival at the expense of their hosts.

He scored nine that season but fell out of favour under Paul Simpson the following year and moved on to Gretna. Further spells in Scotland, and in English non-league, followed, before a move to Sweden with Ostersunds. Now 34, he is manager of Swedish third-tier side Ytterhogdals.

6. GLENN MURRAY

From: Barrow

Murray, one of Cumbrian football's best success stories of recent years, freely admits that Carlisle were progressing too quickly for him when he tried to make his name with the Blues.

The Maryport man, whose goals first caught the eye at Workington Reds, had joined the Blues after a stint in America with Wilmington Hammerheads and then a brief spell at Barrow.

He forced his way into Simpson's Conference side, scoring twice and also starting the play-off final victory against Stevenage.

But starts proved otherwise hard to come by as United continued their rise, Karl Hawley, Michael Bridges and Derek Holmes leading the attack and later Joe Garner and Danny Graham emerging.

Murray eventually went to Rochdale in search of regular football - and since then his career his soared. At 33, he is now in his second prolific spell at Premier League new boys Brighton, having also played for Reading, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, renowned as one of the second-tier's best finishers of recent times.

7. SIMON HACKNEY

From: Woodley Sports

Simpson made a number of inspired transfer calls during his reign and certainly made his mark with Hackney, a slight, speedy winger playing for Stockport-based Woodley Sports in the Northern Premier League.

Hackney shone on trial for United and made the move permanent for a small fee. He barely featured in Carlisle's Conference season but announced himself to the Brunton Park crowd with a dynamic performance against Macclesfield in League Two the following season.

The left-sided player duly established a reputation as a super sub, often coming off the bench to torment tiring defences as Simpson's team romped to the title.

Earned a more regular starting place under Neil McDonald and was a key member of the side that came close to League One promotion under John Ward. Fans were unhappy when Hackney was then sold to Colchester, but his career had peaked with the Blues and he later drifted down the divisions with Rochdale, Halifax, Hereford, Stockport, Northwich, Trafford and Mossley.

8. ADAM COLLIN

From: Workington

Hailing from Great Salkeld, the big Cumbrian goalkeeper's first opportunity in the professional game came with Newcastle United, where he faced shots from the likes of Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy in training.

Released at 19, he had a short spell with Doncaster but then found a different path with Workington Reds, where he took the chance to put himself back in the shop window.

In the Unibond League, whilst also working as a gardener, the young No1 dug deep and, after five impressive years at Borough Park, was handed a chance by Carlisle.

Initially signed by Greg Abbott as understudy to the more experienced Lenny Pidgeley, Collin forced his way into the team in the autumn and remained first choice for the next three campaigns, which included heroics in the club's two runs to Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Was released in 2013, but Collin then went on to help Rotherham into the second tier and, after a loan spell at Aberdeen, is back in United's division with Notts County whilst also running his own goalkeeping school.