Bob Stokoe guided United to promotion in his first full season in charge as the Cumbrians finished second in Division Three, pipped for the title on goal difference by Burnley.

It was the only disappointment of a very successful campaign, as Carlisle had seemed odds-on for the championship for most of the second half to the season as they occupied top spot for much of the new year.

With Bryan Pop Robson and Peter Beardsley forming an ebullient partnership up front, and Gordon Staniforth working tirelessly alongside them, United had enough firepower and defensive consistency to clinch promotion, although they did it the hard way, needing a point from their final game at bottom-of-the-table Chester to go up.

The signing of Jack Ashurst in the summer was probably the best Stokoe ever made, re-uniting him with his old Sunderland player. With Ashurst commanding the centre of defence, and Trevor Swinburne another ever-present behind him in goal, United embarked on a run of six successive wins that took them to the top of the table over Christmas.

The cold weather meant United did not play a league game for six weeks but this inactivity failed to halt their march to promotion. Peter Beardsley returned to Vancouver in February, signing off with a goal in what proved to be his last game for the club against Swindon Town. Only when the finishing line was in sight did United stutter, losing three games out of four, including a crucial 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor which virtually handed the title to Burnley.

However, lowly Chester could not stop Robson grabbing his all-important 18th goal of the season to secure a 1-0 win and the runners-up spot at Sealand Road on May 19th. After a five-year gap, the Blues were back in Division Two.