Flashback: Carlisle United v Luton Town in March 1975

By the time the Blues entertained Luton Town in March 1975, hopes of prolonging their stay at that level were fading fast. Carlisle had performed heroically at times in that rare campaign, but their path back to the Second Division was now set.

Carlisle’s greatest team were the victim of a string of narrow defeats as their admired football came up just short. By the time they prepared to take on the Hatters at Brunton Park, they had suffered five straight defeats and were at the bottom of the table.

A formidable looking run-in meant defeat would essentially spell the end for the Blues, even with nine games to go. A crowd of 8,339 – their lowest for 12 months – also reflected their trajectory, Alan Ashman’s side having astonishingly topped the table after three games before reality set back in.

The manager had failed in a last-ditch bid to bolster his squad with a new attacker in time for the arrival of Harry Haslam’s Luton. He was also short of the injured pair of Eddie Prudham – an earlier arrival that season – and Mike Barry.

United’s line-up contained many of their most illustrious names – legendary veteran Hughie McIlmoyle replacing flu victim Frank Clarke in attack – but the way things unfolded against the Hatters confirmed their fortunes.

Carlisle made the early running but Dennis Martin’s cross went unrewarded, while McIlmoyle narrowly failed to convert a low centre. Jimmy Husband went close for Luton at the other end while Allan Ross, the United keeper, made a superb save to keep the visitors out.

Luton were no greater shakes than Carlisle in terms of the table, also destined for relegation, yet the contest was more eventful and entertaining than their respective plights may have suggested.

In blustery conditions, McIlmoyle saw a header cleared off the line and later saw a cross dip against the Luton bar. Peter Anderson drew a brilliant save from Ross, before McIlmoyle extended the visitors again when attacking a Bobby Parker chip.

A fine Ross double-save left things goalless at half-time – and it was Carlisle who went on to break the deadlock. First, Les O’Neill came close with a run that was ended with a challenge that sent him sprawling, but did not yield the penalty United demanded.

Dennis Martin on the attack against Luton (Image: News & Star)

McIlmoyle and Bobby Owen then went close for the Cumbrians, before the opener came. Martin was the provider, wriggling clear of two defenders, and when he crossed into the middle, Joe Laidlaw dived in to head past keeper Keith Barber in the 50th minute.

If it felt like a show of timely defiance, it proved fragile. The lead survived only ten minutes as a more aggressive Luton side levelled. Haslam’s side found a way through when Husband fired an Anderson flick against the post, and John Aston was there to head in the rebound.

Carlisle struggled to reimpose themselves and, as Luton regained a degree of control, a slow handcap broke out in the main stand. Fans had by now become sadly accustomed to United coming up just short in the First Division, yet it seemed they would at least take a fairly-earned point from things when Ross, once again, extended himself to save superbly from Ron Futcher.

Yet, as many of the sub-9,000 crowd began shuffling out of Brunton Park, Carlisle were stung. The goal that effectively killed off their survival chances cam in the 87th minute when Futcher made his way down the right and sent in a cross.

It caught the wind and deceived the Blues’ long-serving keeper, and as it sank into the net, it seemed to sum up how 1974/5 was, sadly, concluding for the Blues.

How we reported the defeat that all but confirmed the Blues' top-flight demise (Image: News & Star)

It finished 2-1 and, with title hopefuls such as Liverpool, Derby County, Burnley and Manchester City all still to play, Carlisle’s chances of gaining the survival points they needed were tiny.

Their efforts against Luton were not glossed over by those involved. Right-back Peter Carr was scathing. “I sympathise with the thousands of fans who turned their backs on us. We were rubbish, and I wouldn’t have liked to pay money to watch us.”

Carr felt United had underperformed in general over the season, given their capabilities, while skipper Bill Green also commented on catcalls from the fans. “When you’re coming down the tunnel and someone shouts things like, ‘You’re rubbish, Green’, or ‘You should stick to golf’, it doesn’t do your confidence any good,” he said.

These were regrettable words as United contemplated a fall from their greatest heights. The subsequent days brought boardroom meetings to assess the likely cost of relegation, as the consequences of Carlisle flying higher than at any point in their history began to hit home.

They did, at least, sign off with a few final memorable days at the top: victories over Man City, Everton, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers, plus a last-day draw with champions Derby – while all the years since have taken the frustration away, and placed the boys of 74/75 where they ought to be: at the very pinnacle of Carlisle United’s story.

United: Ross, Carr, Gorman, Green, Parker, O’Neill, Train, Martin, Laidlaw, Owen, McIlmoyle.

Luton: Barber, John Ryan, Buckley, Anderson, Faulkner, P Futcher, Jimmy Ryan, Husband, R Futcher, West, Aston (Alston).

Crowd: 8,339.