Part three of our weekly series charting Carlisle United's historic 1973/74 season...
The penultimate week before a campaign which would sit forever in Carlisle United’s history was marked by a major new signing and local crowd violence which made the front pages and attracted strong condemnation.
It was just another seven days in the eventful life of the Blues as they inched closer to their momentous 1973/74 Second Division season.
Events in the transfer market, and then in a “friendly” at Workington Reds’ Borough Park, rendered the week’s other events almost as afterthoughts. Alan Ashman’s side had, before then, been busily working through their pre-season games which, in midweek, included a trip to face an Oldham Athletic side who included the great former (and future) United winger George McVitie.
He was the star turn at Boundary Park even in a game the Blues won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Bobby Owen and Kenny Wilson, the latter set up by summer midfield signing Mike Barry.
Wilson’s time at Carlisle, since his much-lauded move from Dumbarton, had not brought goals to match his prolific exploits north of the border. He was transfer-listed at a time his place was under further threat as Ashman scoured the land for a new centre-forward.
After a number of frustrations, United's manager eventually got his man. A deal for Ipswich Town marksman Frank Clarke was sealed for £30,000 and he was spirited north ahead of the weekend’s friendly in west Cumbria.
The move was completed so rapidly that Clarke was not fully equipped for life in Carlisle. “He didn’t even have time to bring his boots with him,” Ashman said, explaining how trainer Dick Young had to source a pair of borrowed boots for United’s new No9.
Clarke, having met Ipswich boss Bobby Robson before boarding a train north, also had to hit Carlisle’s shops upon arriving as he had not had time to pack enough spare clothes.
“He wants to get cracking – it’s a pity that he wasn’t here a few weeks ago,” said United’s manager of a man he expected to add a much-needed aerial presence to his team.
Ashman then looked ahead to the Workington game, which he expected to come with a degree of local bite. “We didn’t want the sort of strolling pre-season friendly to which people object,” he said.
In that respect, he got his wish, but it was events off the pitch where things were at their most lively. As Clarke made an inauspicious debut, violence descended onto the Borough Park terraces.
A number of young supporters in the home contingent were reportedly set on causing trouble, squaring up to and spitting at the blue visitors. “As the game progressed, blood-covered and ‘battle-scarred’ youths roamed the terraces more interested in fighting their opposite numbers than watching the match,” wrote the Evening News & Star’s Bob McLean.
At half-time these troublemakers, seeing Carlisle fans moving from one end of the ground to the other, rushed at some of the “stragglers”. One young fan was “tripped up, punched and beaten” as he tried to flee the scene.
Police intervened to prevent even uglier confrontations while, on the field opposite Borough Park, “two rival factions clashed, wielding wooden batons and armour-clad boots as body upon body hit the ground,” McLean added.
The game itself had been held up at the start as crowds of young fans invaded the pitch, mobbing Carlisle goalkeeper Allan Ross, as police with dogs escorted some from the ground. The game itself, which George Aitken’s Fourth Division Reds won 2-0 thanks to goals from John Ogilvie and a Tony Geidmintis penalty, was further interrupted, including a brief pause for treatment to United’s Les O’Neill, which some youngsters took as their cue to run straight across the pitch.
The official toll of what was dubbed ‘Black Saturday’ saw 34 arrests, eight people injured and heavy condemnation by the respective clubs’ officials. Carlisle secretary David Dent said the behaviour had been “deplorable”, adding: “I don’t know what the long-term answer will be, but obviously every possible measure of eradicating it must be considered.”
Reds chairman Tom Kirkpatrick took a firm view. “We shall certainly have to consider playing behind locked doors if we decide to arrange any more pre-season games. It was disgraceful on Saturday. The troublemakers were simply intent on creating a disturbance and fighting.”
The clubs were set to meet soon again, in the first round of the League Cup.
Before then it was the final countdown to league action. Off the pitch, United's new perimeter wall was close to completion, while on it they received the welcome if belated return of Chris Balderstone to their ranks after his cricket-related absence of earlier pre-season. The Division Two opener against Cardiff City was only a week away…
READ OUR PREVIOUS WEEKS' 1973/74 FEATURES
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