What can we learn about Carlisle?
- Back in 1066, Carlisle was in Scotland. The town is, of course, English these days but is only 7 miles from the Scottish border.
- Probably the longest away-day for Carlisle supporters is when they play Plymouth Argyle (a journey of 390 miles each way – a total of about 13 hours driving!).
- Carlisle have played one season in the top flight of English football (1974/75 season). They won their first 3 games of the season to go top of the division but eventually finished bottom and were relegated back to the 2nd tier.
- Bill Shankly, at the time, called Carlisle’s rise to the top “the greatest feat in the history of the game”.
- They are sometimes known as ‘The Foxes’ due to a local connection with huntsman John Peel. Older club badges feature a fox head underneath Carlisle Castle and the club mascot is Olga the Fox (Olga because it’s an anagram of goal!).
- Carlisle fans are known as ‘the blue army’. Among their chants Carlisle supporters sing ‘Proud to be a Cumbrian, Super Carlisle from the North’.
- Carlisle’s best player, 17 year old Jarrad Branthwaite, was sold to Everton in January. The undisclosed fee for the transfer (said to be ‘substantial’) has allowed Carlisle to invest in 5 new players in the January transfer window (with maybe more to come!).
- This is the 4th meeting this season between FGR and the Cumbrian team. There has been a league meeting at Brunton Park, and an FA Cup tie and replay. There have been 2 draws and a Carlisle win so far.
- Carlisle were drawn at Cardiff City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in January and led 2-0 before being pegged back to 2-2. The replay in Carlisle was one of the most exciting games of that round – Cardiff edged it 3-4.
