Alan Ashman arrived back at Brunton Park in the summer of 1972 to try and finish off the work he had started so successfully in the Sixties.

His first season back, which promised so much, was a trying time. Under pressure to justify his return in favour of sacked Ian McFarlane, Ashman had to manage without Stan Bowles, who was sold for a club-record £110,000 to Queen's Park Rangers just three weeks into the season. However, he had picked up Joe Laidlaw from Middlesbrough and he was soon moved into the forward line to help boost the goals tally.

Indeed, at home Carlisle found goalscoring very little problem. Away from home, things were very different. Failure to win on their travels condemned the Cumbrians to a struggling season. Relegation was only just avoided, and this despite scoring 40 goals at Brunton Park and advancing to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup for only the third time in their history.

The only away success came in November at Luton Town. In December, United cracked in 11 goals in successive home games against Brighton and Preston North End. Not all of Ashman's signings proved as successful as Laidlaw. Scot Kenny Wilson arrived early in the season from Dumbarton amid tales of great goalscoring deeds and terrorised Scottish defences. Sadly, Wilson turned out to be a profound disappointment and he scored only once - in the Boxing Day rout of Preston - before disappearing back over the border.

The Cup brought light relief from league battles. A replay success at Huddersfield in Round Three set up a home game against mighty Sheffield United at Brunton Park. Goals from Dennis Martin and Bob Delgado brought a famous 2-1 victory and cleared the way for the visit of even mightier Arsenal in Round Five. Alan Ball pinched a goal from a corner early on, Dennis Martin nailed an equaliser but then Frank McLintock, not renowned for his goalscoring prowess, popped up from nowhere to send the Gunners through.