Carlisle United fans are planning to bring further colour to Brunton Park – in the form of a giant mural.

Supporters who recently raised thousands to adorn the empty stadium with flags are now launching a second initiative.

It will take the form of a mural in street art style which it is hoped will become a permanent fixture at the ground.

Dan MacLennan from United online fans’ forum thecumbrians.net said it would be another creative way of using the funds supporters raised.

“We’ve got £800 left in the kitty from the flags fund,” he said, “and we’re looking to get a mural done in a sort of street art style.

“We’ve spoken to Nigel Clibbens, the chief executive at Carlisle United, and he has agreed and got permission from the club owners.

“We’ve identified two or three possible venues, and I’m currently speaking with Stephen Dunn from the Old Fire Station and Carlisle City Council who have managed to source us an artist.

“I would like to think it could be done in the next few weeks if we can get things moving.

“The money’s there to be spent. I don’t want it sat in my bank – people put the money in, so let’s get a slightly more permanent display as well as the flags that are here while fans aren’t.”

Supporters recently raised more than £5,000 through a crowdfunding initiative aimed at showing support to the Blues at a time fans cannot attend games because of Covid-19.

News and Star: Six flags are displayed at the Warwick Road End after a fans' crowdfunding effort (photo: Richard Parkes)Six flags are displayed at the Warwick Road End after a fans' crowdfunding effort (photo: Richard Parkes)

It has resulted in six giant flags being installed in the Warwick Road End terrace, including a banner featuring 20 former United favourites, and another celebrating the current team in a pastiche of the 'Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album cover, entitled 'Beech Boys - CUFC Sounds'

Dan said the mural plan was in its infancy, with possible designs and sites for the mural yet to be finalised, but added: “It will certainly be where fans can get a photo of it, away fans if they’re walking around the ground will see it, and hopefully it will become a bit of a standout thing.

“Carlisle’s getting a bit of a reputation for street art and this hopefully ties in with it to a new audience.”

Dan had launched the crowdfunding page after discussions between fans on a supporters’ Facebook group, ‘Be Just and Fear Not.’

It captured the imagination of hundreds of supporters who donated – with United head coach Chris Beech himself also chipping in.

“Originally we were looking at 500 quid, but it snowballed overnight to about two grand,” added Matt Spooner, another moderator on thecumbrians.net.

Dan added: “On the the Be Just and Fear Not Facebook group, I saw another fan say, ‘I’d like to have my flag up at the ground, I wonder if the club will let me hang them up?’

“I thought, we can go better than that, why don’t we get some big ones like we see at Premier League grounds?

“I fired a quick email off to Nigel Clibbens who was all for it. By the end of that day we’d set up a GoFundMe, in 24 hours we’d got to about £2,400 and within a week we were around the five grand mark. It fairly took off.

News and Star: One of the flags features a host of former United favourites including (pictured) Alan Ashman, Chris Balderstone, Peter McConnell, Ivor Broadis, Peter Murphy, Kevin Gray and Jimmy Glass (photo: Barbara Abbott)One of the flags features a host of former United favourites including (pictured) Alan Ashman, Chris Balderstone, Peter McConnell, Ivor Broadis, Peter Murphy, Kevin Gray and Jimmy Glass (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“Once we went back into lockdown post Christmas, and fans realised getting to games wasn’t really going to happen for the rest of the season, we thought if fans could put a few quid in, [they could] show they’re here using the flags. It’s all gone well, thankfully.”

The Blues fans enlisted the help of Ross McFadzean and Mike Rome for help with the graphic design of two of the flags, which were made by Footballflags.co.uk.

Dan admitted that choosing 20 legends for that particular flag was always likely to omit some fans’ favourites, but said putting the matter to a vote would have “taken forever, when time was of the essence.”

He added: “You look through the history books and there are certain players who stand out – the likes of Allan Ross, that’s obvious.

“Jimmy Glass…yes, he only played three games but if any moment is talked about featuring this club it’s that one.

“It was also a case of which players we could find decent images of. Some of the older ones we struggled with. We’re thankful to the News & Star for getting permission for a couple.

“Maybe one or two who didn’t make it we could incorporate in the mural, depending on what happens with that.”

News and Star: The giant flags have been visible to fans watching on iFollow in recent games (photo: Richard Parkes)The giant flags have been visible to fans watching on iFollow in recent games (photo: Richard Parkes)

Matt said the response from supporters when they have seen the flags in place – they have been visible on iFollow coverage of games – has been positive.

“On the whole it’s been good,” he said. “After we lost a couple of games the Chris Beech flag took a bit of a hammering on Twitter and Facebook. But they’ve been well received and it’s good to see something in the ground if it can’t be fans.

“It would be nice if it can be a permanent fixture, maybe in the Waterworks End when fans do get back in the ground, next season hopefully.”

The fans were delighted that Beech himself had backed the initiative with a £50 donation.

“With GoFundMe you can be creative with names, but once fans had cottoned on, Chris’s son Brandon tweeted to say it was definitely him, and that was absolutely fantastic.”

Matt added: “It helped fans engage – we got a good buzz from fans that Chris had donated himself.”

Dan and Matt said the success of the initiative showed how Blues supporters will get behind a proactive campaign.

“We got the idea pushed straight away, got the answers straight away and kicked into gear,” Dan said.

“It shows the fans will get behind campaigns that are good for them.”

Matt added: “We know what our fans are like. We get on board with good ideas and this has proven it.”