On April 8th 1972, I attended my first Carlisle United match.

The visitors were Bristol City, and despite the presence in their line-up of such luminaries as Gerry Gow and Trevor Tainton, it was the Blues who ran out 2-0 winners that day. Goals from Bobby Owen and John Gorman were enough to satisfy a star-struck seven-year-old whose memories of that first game extend only to the wonder of actually seeing a real football ground with real football taking place in it.

The climax to this season saw United consolidate their Second Division status with a relatively encouraging 10th place, at least when you consider that star striker Bob Hatton was sold to Birmingham City in October. Hatton would always be difficult to replace, but United pulled out a plum on the same day when they bought Stan Bowles from Crewe Alexandra for a giveaway £12,000.

Bowles, a wayward character, had already fallen foul of Manchester City and Bury, but he was starting to settle down when Ian McFarlane brought him to Brunton Park. Bowles was an instant hit. He scored a hat-trick just before Christmas to see off Norwich City 3-0 and they went on to finish champions. He later stroked a goal past Pat Jennings at White Hart Lane in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup to help force a 1-1 draw and a replay with the First Division aristocrats. Bowles' trickery won him many admirers, and it was always going to be a short stay before a big club came in for him.

Elsewhere, the purchase of diminutive midfielder Ray Train was another good piece of business for amiable Scot McFarlane. Train added bite to a midfield complemented by the silky touches of Chris Balderstone and the goalscoring ability of Frank Barton. It was a major shock when, during the close season, the board announced that McFarlane had been sacked. The big news was his replacement. It marked the return of Alan Ashman.