review 2000 @ cufconline

the year 2000 in words and pictures
january
Cooper: quit	United defeat Chester 4-1 to move six points clear of the bottom of the league. 4,565 turn out in response to the fans' SOS 2000 campaign. Scott Dobie grabs two goals. This result is followed by a bad defeat at Torquay as United soon slip back into trouble again. Neil Cooper quits as first team coach. Paul Baker replaces him. More speculation links Brooks Mileson with a potential takeover.
february
Halliday: new arrival	The Cumbrians just can't win in the league despite a morale-boosting success at Hartlepool in the Auto Windscreens Shield. Luke Weaver collects another injury and the desperate Cumbrians are forced to draft in Dutchman Peter Van der Kwaak as their sixth keeper of the season. Shaun Teale and Stephen Halliday are signed and John Durnin returns to the club on a permanent deal after his earlier loan spell.
march
Durnin: two goals at Posh	The Blues are crushed 5-0 at long-ball Lincoln to slide to the bottom of the league. The Chester revival under Ian Atkins takes root but United bounce back to defeat Barnet 3-1 at home to lift themselves above the Seals. John Durnin scores two goals to earn Carlisle another win at Peterborough and at the end of the month goals from Damon Searle and Halliday clinch a 2-0 success against Swansea City, who are second in the table. The sad news of the death from cancer of former United legend Chris Balderstone casts a pall over Brunton Park early in the month.
april
Dobie: vital goal at Chester	The month begins with a desperate 4-0 home reverse to Hull City. Scott Dobie then grabs a dramatic injury-time winner for the nine-man Cumbrians at Chester to win the relegation battle 1-0 at the Deva Stadium. Just when it seemed they were safe, United lose their next two home games and are back in a dog-fight with Chester and Shrewsbury Town. Halliday puts United ahead at home to Darlington on April 29 but the Quakers level 10 minutes from time to force a nail-biting last weekend.
may
Wilkinson: sacked	United go down to a 1-0 defeat at Brighton but are rescued from relegation by Peterborough who win at Chester. Shrewsbury escape with a victory at Exeter. Michael Knighton resigns as chairman and Albert Doweck is appointed in his place. Martin Wilkinson and Paul Baker are axed as coaches. Speculation links Jimmy Harvey, John Duncan, Ian McCall, Steve McCall and Ian Atkins with the vacant position. A host of players are released, including captain Dave Brightwell, Graham Anthony and Billy Barr. United also announce that Halliday and Durnin have been sacked after being caught in a night club in the early hours of the morning before the Brighton match.
june
Atkins: new boss	Atkins is appointed as manager. Shaun Teale is shown the door after being turned down for the manager's job. Atkins says he will to try to persuade ex-Scotland international Ally McCoist to play for the Cumbrians. He turns down the offer. Peter Clark goes to Stockport for £75,000. Paul Reid signs for Rangers in a deal that could eventually be worth £700,000.
july
Heggs: first signing	Pre-season begins with no new signings. Knighton puts his shares into a trust and places tight controls on the club's spending plans. A deal to sign Stuart Hicks from Chester collapses. Fellow Chester man Luke Beckett also turns down the Cumbrians. A host of trialists show up on the first day of pre-season training, including ex-Blue Ian Stevens. United lose 2-1 to Aberdeen behind closed doors in their first friendly. Carl Heggs becomes the first signing. Mark Winstanley, Jamie Squires, Anthony Hemmings and Julian Darby all soon follow.
august
Soley: late hero	Stevens, Craig McAughtrie, David Lee and Tony Carss sign on the dotted line. Richard Prokas agrees a short-term deal with the club but Tony Hopper is released after seven years at Brunton Park. Pre-season results are generally poor. All four home games are lost. However, United open the season with a 2-2 draw against Halifax Town. Steve Soley scores twice to lead a fightback from 2-0 down. Soley then nets a last-minute equaliser against York in the second home game. Stevens nets a late winner at Shrewsbury.
september
Squires: injury blow	United make it two wins on the trot away from home with a 1-0 win at Kidderminster Harriers - their first win over a league newcomer for 11 years. A run of seven consecutive losses follows this success. Squires suffers a season-ending knee injury at Plymouth, where United go down to a 2-0 defeat. Carlisle are heading for a deserved point at Darlington but they concede a goal two minutes from time. Frenchman Stephan Lemarchand signs a one-month deal.
october
Knighton: banned	Gavin Skelton and Steven Skinner are released. The run of defeats finally ends with a 2-2 home draw against Cardiff City. Just 1,962 watch this game - the lowest home league attendance since Michael Knighton took over the club eight years ago. Four more defeats send United crashing to the bottom of the table. Carss leaves to join Oldham. Michael Knighton receives a five-year ban from being a company director, relating to activities at his private school in Yorkshire. The board reveal they are trying to buy out Knighton. The News & Star runs a controversial red-card campaign to help oust him. Stephen Halliday rejoins the club from Doncaster after being sacked in the summer.
november
Doweck: deal rejected	Mick Galloway and Gordon Connelly join, Galloway on a month's loan. Lemarchand quits the club and player-coach Lee is not allowed to be re-signed by Knighton's holding company. United defeat Southend 3-1 but remain bottom. In the FA Cup, Ian Stevens registers the first four-goal haul by a United player for 17 years as the Cumbrians crush non-league Woking 5-1. The bid by the board of directors, led by chairman Albert Doweck, to buy the club from Michael Knighton is rejected. An unnamed third party is said to be buying the club instead.
december
Brynestad: possible bidder	United triumph 2-0 at Kidderminster in the Cup second round and land a plum 3rd round tie at home to mighty Arsenal. The takeover rumours link Atle Brynestad, a Norwegian multi-millionaire and Steve Brown, a Scottish businessman with the club. Knighton claims lawyers are holding up the process. Possibly distracted by the Cup-tie, United lose 1-0 at Macclesfield and remain bottom. The 12,721 tickets allocated to Carlisle fans for the Arsenal match sell out in just four days. The Boxing Day fixture against Hartlepool is called off because of frost and United slip six points adrift at the foot of the table.