Seven famous (and notorious) Carlisle United FA Cup replays

The highly controversial move looks set to end a long-standing feature of the cup which has provided some memorable occasions down the years. Here are some from Carlisle United’s long history.

1951

Still one of the most famous FA Cup occasions in Carlisle’s history, when the Bill Shankly-led Blues went to Arsenal and achieved an admirable 0-0 third round draw in front of a huge Highbury crowd of nearly 58,000. Brunton Park was crammed for the replay, 21,215 packing into the ground, and United revived hopes of an upset when Alec McCue equalised Arsenal’s opener. The Gunners, who were then the cup holders, eventually powered through 4-1. But the growing Cumbrians, who'd been a Football League club for just 23 years, had had a tantalising taste of the high life all the same.

Action from Carlisle v Arsenal in 1951's replay (Image: News & Star)

1966

One of United’s all-time FA Cup epics saw not one but two replays against Shrewsbury Town. At Gay Meadow the clubs had drawn 0-0 in the fourth round before a replay at Brunton Park ended 1-1. They had to do it all for a third time and the latter encounter was at the neutral setting of Preston North End’s Deepdale. A melodramatic tie saw United 2-1 up going into added time, but the Shrews struck to force extra-time, and more goals then flowed, the visitors eventually emerging 4-3 winners, the Blues aggrieved at a disallowed Stan Harland goal as the tie was finally settled.

United had two replays against Shrewsbury in 1966, the latter (pictured) at Deepdale (Image: News & Star)

1970

A valiant and successful encounter with Nottingham Forest, settled by two of United’s top names. Matt Gillies’ top-flight Forest were tamed by Bob Stokoe’s second-tier Blues at the City Ground, and the 0-0 draw teed up a Brunton Park replay. A performance of quality and character then saw the Cumbrians go through 2-1, with Tommy Murray and George McVitie the goal heroes.

George McVitie, pictured left in the first meeting with Forest, was the replay hero (Image: News & Star)

1974

A historic year like no other in United’s story produced, as well as promotion to the top-flight, the scalp of the FA Cup holders and then a meeting with giants. Second Division Sunderland had won the trophy in memorable fashion against Leeds United the season before, but Alan Ashman’s upwardly-mobile Blues knocked them out in the subsequent season’s third round. Dennis Martin’s goal at Roker Park, following a 0-0 home draw, rewarded fans who made the trip to Wearside on a Wednesday afternoon amid the three-day working week. A meeting with Liverpool came next, Carlisle defying Shankly's stars with a 0-0 draw at Anfield before going down 2-0 in the Brunton replay.

Carlisle celebrate Dennis Martin's winner at Sunderland (Image: News & Star)

1978

To date, Carlisle’s only first-team encounters with Manchester United came in the cup’s third round in 1977/78. The Blues, in the Third Division, fought back to hold the Red Devils 1-1 at Brunton Park thanks to Ian MacDonald’s header. After being denied a penalty, when future Blues boss David McCreery brought down McVitie, it was a first and hitherto only trip to Old Trafford for the Cumbrians. They plundered two goals, from Mick Tait and Billy Rafferty, but the other United proved too strong, winning 4-2.

2013

One of the more…eventful cup replays came in 2013/14’s first round, when Graham Kavanagh’s League One strugglers went up against Boreham Wood of the Conference South. A 0-0 draw in Hertfordshire set up a chilly midweek replay at Brunton Park which came close to offering abject humiliation for the Blues. The minnows led from the penalty spot, then had another saved by United keeper Greg Fleming. Carlisle then staged a very late fightback as Lee Miller and Mark Beck struck to overturn the non-league side and spare some embarrassment. There were heated exchanges on the pitch throughout and at full-time, then some lurid post-match claims – angrily denied – that visiting players had urinated in the away dressing room (Boreham Wood claimed it was spilt orange juice), caused damage to doors and shoved a tea urn into a urinal. The romance of the cup...

Carlisle dashed Boreham Wood's hopes in 2013 - and then things turned ugly (Image: News & Star)

2016

United’s most lucrative replay victory in recent memory was in the third round of the flood-hit season of 2015/16. Keith Curle’s side were paired with Yeovil Town and the ‘home’ tie was played at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road whilst Brunton Park was out of action. A 2-2 draw meant a Huish Park replay and, on a freezing Somerset night, it all kicked off. Yeovil led, Antony Sweeney equalised, Jabo Ibehre steamed into a clothesline on home keeper Artur Krysiak in a melee yet somehow stayed on (quite right, ref), the Glovers’ Francois Zoko missed a last-minute penalty against his former club…then a shoot-out saw Mark Ellis belt in the winner to secure a fourth round visit of Everton.

Mark Ellis wins it for Carlisle at Yeovil...and sets up a meeting with Everton (Image: Barbara Abbott)