United hit rock bottom for only the second time in their history as they ended the season in 22nd and last place in Division Four.

United earned a small footnote in history as the last team to finish bottom of the Football League in its original form. By the end of the season, the First Division clubs broke away to form the new FA Premier League.

Aidan McCaffrey's first full season in charge had begun full of hope as Carlisle opened with a convincing 3-0 win at Doncaster. Within two months, that hope had given way to despair as the Blues went ten games without a win.

Nonetheless, a distinct improvement over Christmas helped them to pull away from the bottom two clubs, Doncaster and Aldershot. The £30,000 capture of striker Andy Watson from Swansea, albeit at a heavy financial price for the struggling club, enabled United to put together a five-month run without a single home league defeat.

All the more surprising then, that when Doncaster defeated Maidstone in their last match, they pulled one point ahead of United and left the Cumbrians at the foot of the table. In fairness, Aldershot would have finished below United had they completed their fixtures, but they folded a month before the end of the season.

United were never in danger of dropping out of the professional ranks as with the league re-organising, there was no automatic relegation for the second year in succession. In any case, Aldershot's demise would have saved them whatever the rules said.

There was a boost in the shape of a huge 9,051 gate for the final home game with the Division Three champions Burnley, although few took notice of one man sitting in the stand at that game - a certain Michael Knighton.