This year marks a major anniversary in English football - 30 years since the launch of the Premier League.

The 1992/3 campaign saw the all-new top-flight come into being.

Carlisle United might not have got close to gracing the division in that time – but the Premier League has certainly not been without its Blues connections.

In fact, that history-making first campaign alone saw 27 players with either past or future United links taking part.

Here's a rundown.

1. Peter Beardsley

Let's start with the most famous. The brilliant forward who Carlisle launched towards stardom was with Everton in 1992/3, scoring ten goals in 39 appearances in the maiden Premier League season.

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2. Rob Bowman

Bowman was 17 when he made his first Leeds outing, in a 4-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham, among four top-flight appearances. Five years on and the right-back was at Carlisle, making 50 appearances across three seasons - including the famous Jimmy Glass game.

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3. David Brightwell

Scorer of perhaps the most famous ‘other’ goal in United’s history – the one that preceded Jimmy Glass’s miracle against Plymouth in 1999 – a young Brightwell made four top-flight outings for Manchester City in 1992/3.

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4. Tom Cowan

The popular member of United's Conference promotion-winning defence in 2005 was, in 1992, on Sheffield United's books, making 21 appearances in the new Premier League.

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5. Keith Curle

The future Blues boss was an established top-flight player in 1992 and, that first Premier League season, making 39 appearances for Manchester City as the new top-flight season unfolded. He managed the Cumbrians from 2014-18.

News and Star: Curle, right, battles with a famous Frenchman in an early Premier League clashCurle, right, battles with a famous Frenchman in an early Premier League clash

6. Mervyn Day

The classy goalkeeper was nearing the end of his time with Leeds United and largely understudy to John Lukic but still made two appearances in the fledgling Premier League for the reigning Division One champions. The following season he joined United and rose from player-coach to assistant and later manager, leading the Blues to promotion and a first Wembley win in 1997.

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7. Andy Dibble

The well-travelled keeper who had a spell with the Blues in 1999 was called into action twice in the Premier League for Manchester City in the new top-flight season.

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8. Curtis Fleming

Ok, slightly tenuous one, given Fleming only featured for the Blues in a friendly at Shelbourne in 2001 (alongside another Premier League 1992/3 player – more of which shortly). But if he wore the United shirt, he’s in. The new top-flight’s maiden season saw Fleming play 24 times for Middlesbrough.

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9. Paul Gerrard

Carlisle’s current goalkeeping coach was, in 1992, Oldham Athletic’s No1, the highly-rated keeper making 25 appearances in the maiden Premier League season.

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10. Steve Harkness

Carlisle-born Harkness was snapped up by Liverpool in 1989 and, having made his Reds debut in 1992, managed nine more top-flight appearances in the new Premier League - grabbing a goal in a 6-2 thrashing of Tottenham.

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11. Dean Holdsworth

A loan striker at Brunton Park in 1988, Holdsworth had by 1992 joined Wimbledon from Brentford, and fired an impressive 19 goals in 36 outings in the first Premier League campaign. His twin brother David was until recently director of football at Brunton Park.

News and Star: Holdsworth, left, with John FashanuHoldsworth, left, with John Fashanu

12. Jamie Hoyland

Some 22 appearances in Sheffield United’s defence in 1992/3 for Hoyland, who was a Brunton Park loanee in 1997 and, two years later, part of the Scarborough side sent out of the Football League by a certain J.Glass…

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13. Vinnie Jones

How could we leave out this chap? Hardman Jones did, after all, pull on a United shirt the one time – that Shelbourne friendly in 2001 – and so we can include him here. In 1992/3, the future film star played seven times for Chelsea and 27 times for Wimbledon.

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14. Graham Kavanagh

United’s future player, coach, assistant and manager was an aspiring talent in Middlesbrough’s midfield in 1992. The Irish player was 18 when he made ten Premier League appearances in the 92/3 season.

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15. Dylan Kerr

Not a Carlisle career to get wistful about, but Kerr’s short-lived United stay in 1996 came four years after the Malta-born defender had figured five times for Leeds in the Premier League’s first campaign.

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16. David Lee

Back in 1992/3, winger Lee was on Southampton’s books, making a solitary sub appearance in the first season of the Premier League. He later made his name with Bolton Wanderers – and in 2000/1 had a short spell at Brunton Park.

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17. Steve Livingstone

Remembered at Brunton Park mainly for the debut scuffle which saw him sent off against York in 2003, Livingstone in 1992 was with newly-promoted Blackburn Rovers, making a couple of outings for the Lancashire club and one for loan club Chelsea later in the campaign.

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18. Neil McDonald

McDonald was with Oldham in 1992 and made four outings in that first ever Premier League season. Fourteen years later, the former Carlisle schoolboy player was the Cumbrians’ manager.

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19. Alan Moore

The future Carlisle youth boss was a precocious winger in the same Middlesbrough team as Graham Kavanagh. He made two Premier League sub appearances in 1992/3.

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20. Neil Moore

The promising young centre-back got two substitute outings in Everton’s first Premier League season. Three years later he was a loan signing at Brunton Park as Mick Wadsworth’s side tried to settle in the third tier after promotion.

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21. Nigel Pearson

The man who famously waved Jimmy Glass forward enjoyed an impressive career as an authoritative centre-half. In the first Premier League season, Pearson was still at the heart of Sheffield Wednesday’s defence.

News and Star: Nigel Pearson, left, with Ron AtkinsonNigel Pearson, left, with Ron Atkinson

22. John Sheridan

United’s 2018/19 boss was an iconic figure in the Sheffield Wednesday midfield, making 25 appearances in the first Premier League season.

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23. Peter Shirtliff

Another Hillsborough stalwart, Shirtliff joined Pearson in the Owls back line as the Premier League came into being. The experienced defender went on to have a brief Carlisle spell in 1996.

News and Star: Peter Shirtliff, leftPeter Shirtliff, left

24. Shaun Teale

Defender Teale made 39 appearances at centre-half for Ron Atkinson’s Villa, who were pipped for the title by Manchester United in 1992/3. Seven seasons later and he was bringing his experience to Carlisle’s tortuous battle to stay in the Football League.

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25. Simon Tracey

United’s future goalkeeping coach has the distinction of playing in the Premier League’s first game – and being on the winning side. Keeper Tracey conceded a Mark Hughes goal but two Brian Deane efforts saw his Sheffield United side prevail 2-1, in one of ten appearances Tracey made that league season.

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26. Paul Warhurst

One of United’s more infamous short-lived signings (in 2004) was a versatile and effective Premier League performer, and in 1992/3 made 25 top-flight appearances and got six goals.

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27. Tommy Wright

Carlisle’s assistant manager under John Sheridan joined Middlesbrough from Leicester in 1992 and was a regular on the wing for the Teessiders in the first Premier League season, making 36 league appearances.

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(Source: Premierleague.com / 11v11)