A season of both on-field and off-field turmoil ended in relegation to the Third Division. This despite a near-Houdini escape bid which faltered only in the final two games.

Bob Stokoe began the season as manager in what he had already confirmed would be his last before retiring. However, just two weeks into the campaign he handed over control to his assistant Bryan 'Pop' Robson, with disastrous results.

United won just one of their first eleven league fixtures, with the last straws for Robson being the 6-1 thrashing at Brighton and a 4-0 home defeat to Norwich City a week later. Robson quit and Stokoe returned to the hot-seat.

Things didn't improve for a while as Carlisle conceded a dreadful 28 goals in just 8 games. But, having converted disaster-prone defender Paul Baker into an effective, if ungainly striker, Stokoe began to turn around United's season.

QPR were dumped out of the FA Cup, and although the Blues went out in the next round to 4th division Peterborough, useful league draws at Crystal Palace and Sunderland in the February were followed by home wins over Hull, Huddersfield and Sheffield United. Promotion-bound Wimbledon interrupted progress with a 3-2 success at Brunton Park in April, but Carlisle hit back by defeating Fulham and Brighton to set up a bid for survival if they could beat Charlton in the last home game.

Wes Saunders scored twice to put United in the driving seat, but United's loan signing Jim Tolmie then booked a place for himself in United's hall of infamy. Attempting an ambitious backpass from 40 yards out, he managed to loop the ball over Scott Endersby for a disastrous own goal and Charlton, who only needed a point to go up to Division One, went on to score twice in the second half and virtually seal Carlisle's fate.

They could still have survived with a win at Oldham the following Monday, but a 2-1 defeat meant the end of Stokoe's career was marked by relegation.