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CARLISLE United are today celebrating reaching League One after sealing a second successive promotion – less than two years after plunging into non-league.
The one-time crisis club completed its remarkable turnaround when Paul Simpson's team drew 1-1 at Mansfield on Saturday, giving them the point they needed to be sure of going up.
Jubilant owner Fred Story, who bought the club from Irishman John Courtenay in 2004, said: “It's an incredible feeling. I'm extremely proud.
“Two years ago the tax man was going to shut us down, the VAT man was going to shut us down, we were £2 million in debt and losing £1 million a year. We'd just got relegated to the Conference, and there was a lot of negativity about the club.
“It was a mess, but we've got it right for Carlisle United after a lot of directionless years, and two promotions in two years is just fantastic.”
Story paid tribute to Carlisle-born Simpson, saying: “Without Paul this wouldn't have happened. It's a tribute to Paul and his professionalism and hard work.
“We're in League One now and we're going to stabilise and establish ourselves in that division. We are ambitious but realistic as well.
“Everybody's always said Carlisle deserves to be further than they are, and I've always said that's rubbish – we'll go as far as we deserve to go.
“There are no ego trips here. Everybody works together as a team and that's what makes it feel even better at a time like this.
“But the fans deserve it most of all, with everything they've had to put up with.”
UNITED can clinch the League Two title with victory in their final home game against Torquay on Saturday – a match sponsored by the News & Star.
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The Guardian:
Even eternal optimists in Carlisle's ranks could not have envisaged such a rapid revival. The last time they played at Mansfield, in 2004, the club was on the brink of relegation to the Conference. On their first return to Field Mill, Carlisle secured their place in League One next season.
"Nobody would have even been stupid enough to say this would happen two years ago," said Paul Simpson. Carlisle's recent mismanagement has been remedied by two saviours: Simpson and the owner Fred Story. The Cumbrian millionaire bought the club when it plummeted into non-league, burdened by the problems left by the previous owners John Courtenay and, most notably before him, Michael Knighton.
"The taxman was going to shut us down, the VAT man was going to shut us down, we were £2m in debt, we were losing £1m a year, we'd just got relegated to the Conference and there was a lot of negativity around," said Story. "It was a mess but Paul Simpson was there and that was a critical ingredient to what has happened today."
The credit was passed around like a hot potato. "It ain't about the manager, it's about the players. They've been a different class," said Carlisle-born Simpson nodding at the celebrating travelling fans.
Carlisle have a habit of leaving it late, most memorably the injury-time goal by the on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass that preserved their league status in 1999. This time, it was Karl Hawley who scored at the death, equalising Richard Barker's second-half tap-in. The League Two player of the year converted after a frantic goalmouth scramble to take the Cumbrians up.
Man of the match Michael Bridges (Carlisle United)
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The Times:
It is a remarkable transformation for Carlisle, whose recent woes include relegation and spiralling debt, not to mention the flooding of their stadium. Saturday's injury-time equaliser from Karl Hawley, the forward and top scorer in the division, earned the point that secured the club's second successive promotion.
Paul Simpson, the Carlisle manager and Cumbrian of the Year, struggled to express his feelings. “It's hard to describe how happy I am,” he said. “I'll treasure this for the rest of my life.”
Asked if he could have imagined such a scenario two years ago, he replied: “No, I think I'd have been locked up and put in a straitjacket. We had to take the kick in the teeth of going into the Conference, but we dealt with it and worked hard to recover.”
The cornerstone of Carlisle's success this term has been the signing of Michael Bridges, the former Leeds United forward. His pedigree has been continually evident and his 16 goals have supplemented the firepower of Hawley.
Bridges was pleased to seal promotion, but immediately focused on another goal. “We left it late, but hopefully we can relax now and go on to claim the championship,” he said. “That would be another medal, and that's why you play football.”
Mansfield Town competed well and went ahead after 63 minutes, Richard Barker's neat finish crowning a fine counter-attack involving Simon Brown and Gus Uhlenbeek.
Carlisle seemed set for a frustrating afternoon, but in the second minute of stoppage time, Hawley burst clear, only to be denied by Jason White, the Mansfield goalkeeper. White also saved the follow-up shot from Bridges, but the rebound fell perfectly for Hawley to crash in his 26th strike of the season and cue jubilant celebrations from the substantial travelling support.
Simpson had forbidden his players to prepare any festivities, but conceded that in light of the late drama, alternative arrangements were necessary. “I didn't allow anyone to bring any champagne,” he said, “but hopefully we'll pass an off-licence on the way home.”
Fred Story, the Carlisle owner, was thrilled with events. “I can't exaggerate how proud I am,” he said. “When I arrived we had debts in excess of £2 million, were losing £1 million each year and there was an understandable negativity around the place. Most importantly, however, we did have Paul Simpson.”
Now a coveted young manager, Simpson dismissed recent links with several vacancies. “When you're doing badly, the talk is that you'll be sacked, and when you're doing well, you're supposedly moving club,” he said.
When quizzed about his managerial ambitions, the reply was succinct, “To do well,” he said. It may sound overly simplistic, but Simpson is certainly supporting his words with action.