It's unlikely, even in their present financial circumstances, that Carlisle United’s search for a striker would take them down the aisles of Asda.

In 1988, though, this was exactly what happened.

They were times of growing hardship for the Blues after tumbling from Division Two to the bottom of Division Four in the space of two seasons.

Crowds had nosedived accordingly, below the 2,000 mark, as Clive Middlemass’ team negotiated a third successive season of struggle.

Come April, the Blues were down among the dead men of the fourth tier, the risk of relegation to the GM Vauxhall Conference only kept at bay by Newport’s implosion. United needed any pick-me-up available and in that early spring one was offered by a tall Carlisle-born striker making his way through non-league.

Tony Fyfe had been playing in the local leagues since his teenage years, and had enjoyed spells at Gretna, Penrith and Workington Reds. By the time he came to United’s attention he was also turning out for the Royal Scot Sunday side.

His employment at Asda, meanwhile, saw 26-year-old Fyfe photographed at his day job on the eve of his full Blues debut, against Colchester. After Brent Hetherington’s transition to the Football League, United hoped Fyfe would be the next local-born player to step up.

His display against the men from Essex indeed offered a rare filip. United’s visitors were better placed, in upper mid-table, but depleted on the day and, in the event, on the receiving end of one of Carlisle’s most convincing displays of the season.

Although the game was short on quality, United’s work where it mattered was clinical. They also had the game’s outstanding player in Ian Bishop, whose career would later reach the top-flight with Manchester City and West Ham. He pulled the midfield strings on a dusty pitch - while the lesser-known Fyfe had a day to remember.

In the 11th minute, he found space down the right to run onto a ball from Jonathan Clark, as a visiting defender stumbled. The striker cut in, beat another man, then deceived keeper Craig Forrest with a low finish.

This had come four days after Fyfe’s first senior goal, as a substitute against Halifax, and propelled the Blues to more. They went two ahead in the 20th minute through defender Nigel Saddington’s first United goal. It came in some style, too: an overhead kick after John Halpin’s corner had been helped on.

Colchester, by contrast, offered little. John Reeves found a promising position before the break but shot wide; otherwise they struggled to test home keeper Mark Prudhoe.

They raised their tempo in the second half, but United turned the screw in the closing stages.

Halpin went close, Fyfe saw a header tipped over and then, in the 84th minute, the third goal came. After Middlemass had introduced John Cooke for Gary Rowell, Cooke exchanged passes with Malcolm Poskett, and his shot was deflected into the net by Halpin.

After Prudhoe denied Stuart Hicks a late consolation, Fyfe then capped his day with another. It came in the 90th minute, a convincing header after a Paul Gorman cross which Halpin had helped on.

The only shame from the new hero’s point of view is that so few people were there to see his feats. The crowd of 1,496 was the smallest of the season and remains the fourth-lowest league gate Brunton Park has seen.

That was a true indicator of United’s times, not that it tarnished the two-goal hero’s day. Swiftly Fyfe’s non-contract terms were upgraded to a part-time professional deal.

“His number one job is working at Asda and I think he has been sensible,” said Middlemass of the part-time arrangement.

“He takes pride in what he does, keeps himself fit and will be training at nights.”

The man himself was also delighted. “People who I have never seen before have been coming up to me and shaking my hand,” Fyfe said. “I feel 10 feet tall.”

United’s 4-0 victory had made survival mathematically safe, yet there was little to celebrate in their final position: 23rd, below all but Newport, who were 19 points adrift and destined to go bust the following season.

United, the next campaign, climbed to a mid-table finish, and Middlemass then led them on a promotion challenge in 1989/90, before an alarming collapse, the Blues heading into further hardship before the advent of Michael Knighton in 1992.

Fyfe, meanwhile, ended up having two United spells, either side of a loan to Scarborough and a switch to Halifax, yielding 21 goals in 100 appearances.

United: Prudhoe, Clark, Gorman, Saddington, Wright, Robinson, Bishop, Rowell (Cooke), Halpin, Poskett, Fyfe. Not used: Robertson.

Colchester: Forrest, Smith, Hedman, Radford (Daniels), Hicks, English, White, Wilkins, Tempest, Keane (Farrell), Reeves.

Crowd: 1,496