Brunton Park Diary - July 2010
03/07/10 21:10
July 1st
USA! USA! right-back Frank Simek joins Carlisle on a 2-year deal following his release from Sheffield Wednesday. He made 119 appearances for the Owls after joining them from Arsenal in 2005, has 5 international caps to his name and was last called up to the USA! squad as recently as March for the 2-1 friendly defeat to Holland (did not play). As a couple of SWFC fans posted on the Board;
"Simek was a legend in the first 2 season with SWFC ... then he got his possible career threatening injury. It luckilly enough didnt end his career but he's not the same player as the one the bids of £2-3million came in for trust me. He's lost afew yards of pace and cant get up and down the pitch like he used to. Never the less, he is still highly thought of by the fans at SWFC and will be given a rousing reception on his return (if he's fit enough to play)."
"...you've got yourself a real gem of a player there! IF you can keep him fit! He was our best player for ages, then broke his ankle at Palace, and took a year to recover and just wasn't the same player! But if you can get him in regularly, and keep him fit, your onto a real coup. Never stops going forward, and pretty quick at getting back."
Travelling down to the likes of Bournemouth and Plymouth will probably seem like a short stroll around the corner to the American so for once, location doesn't appear to be a factor. There's the strategy Greg, time to start picking off the USA! World Cup squad and other fringe players one-by-one.
Watford's annual raid of the Carlisle talent locker has this year brought them Tom Aldred on a 2-year deal with an option for a 3rd. The Herts. team has made an offer of compensation at this time.
It's revealed that Scott Dobie will be watching crosses sail over his head next season with the news that Cleveland Taylor has taken up the offer to join him at St Johnstone.
July 2nd
Tony Hopper announces his retirement from football while Workington seek former legend Paul Murray as his direct replacement following his release from Shrewsbury at the end of last season.
Coventry are set for further discussions with Keiren Westwood in a bid to persuade him to sign a new contract at the Ricoh Arena as a clutch of Premier League clubs circle in anticipation.
* Taken as an average from the CUFC online messageboard.
** Taken from CUFC online main report as no (sensible) messageboard ratings
July 3rd
United’s planned training camp at Colchester is cancelled after it emerged their hotel in Essex had double-booked the Cumbrians with another club. What about a quick 5-a-side on the lawn to decide who gets custody of the booked rooms?
Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire is later revealed as the new venue for the training camp beginning on the 19th.
July 4th
Whitehaven will host the next fans’ forum at the Rugby League Football Club on the evening of Friday 16th July. Andrew Jenkins, Steve Pattison and John Nixon will be joined by manager Greg Abbott on the panel with BBC Radio Cumbria broadcasting live from the event in their Friday Night Sports Hour from 6pm onwards.
July 5th
The club take four players on trial:
Patrick Cregg (24), a midfielder from Hibs. He started his career with Man Utd before moving to Arsenal (3 apps.) and then Falkirk where he made over 100 appearances. He moved to Hibs last summer on a free.
Billy Gibson (19), a midfielder from Watford who had an impressive run out in the reserves last season.
Jake Simpson (19), a midfielder from Shrewsbury (Simmo’s boy who used to be in the CUFC Youth set up).
Francois Zoko (26) a forward from KV Oostende (Ivory Coast U-23 International Striker).
Gary Madine will take them all under his wing during their initial stay, he knows all about being on trial.
Not a good week for the Murrays. This time it’s Adam Murray being given a free from Oxford after the club enforces a policy to have their playing squad within near distance of the city. Murray, who lives in Derby, quickly secures a move to Luton.
July 6th
Expletive Alert! Livesey picks up a groin injury in training and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. At least we’ve got plenty of cover with Horwood, Aldred, Keogh and Raven. Oh.
Speaking of which, released defender David Raven joins Division 2 side Shrewsbury on a 1-year deal.
July 9th
KENDAL 1 CARLISLE UTD 4 - FRIENDLY
Goals from Madine, Curran, Zoko and Price secure a comfortable win for the Cumbrians in their first pre-season friendly.
1st half team: Collin, Simek, Swinglehurst, Harte, Thirlwell, Gibson, Hurst, Berrett, Bridge-Wilkinson, Madine, Curran.
2nd half team: Gillespie, Kane, McDaid, Murphy, Kavanagh, Simpson, Robson, Cregg, Taiwo, Price, Zoko.
Bench: Cook and Bowman
July 10th
Horwood’s come-and-get-me message in a bottle floats past Hartlepool harbour and washes up on the shores of Aberdeen where he commences a trial.
July 12th
It’s revealed that Adam Clayton has rejected a move to the Blues after the two clubs had agreed a fee.
July 13th
WORKINGTON 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
Centre-half Nick Wood (19) ex- Sheffield Wednesday makes an immediate impact with a late goal to divide the teams having only joined the club that day on trial.
Zoko looked lively again with some nice touches and worked well with Madine. Simek and McDaid were fairly steady.
1st half team: Collin, Simek, Harte, Murphy, McDaid, Simpson, Cregg, Berrett, Gibson, Madine, Zoko.
2nd half team: Collin, Kane, Harte, Murphy, McDaid, Taiwo, Cregg, Bridge-Wilkinson, Gibson, Bowman, Zoko
Conference hero Ginger Pan-face aka Chris Lumsdon announces his retirement from the game due to a persistent back injury.
July 14th
Irish forward and alleged former target David Mooney is told he can leave Reading.
An undisclosed agreement is reached with Watford over the Tom Aldred fee.
Rumours suggest Westwood is at Celtic having a medical ahead of a £1.7m move. ‘Alternative’ keeper Lenny Pidgeley meanwhile is having trials with Shrewsbury.
July 15th
Gary Shaw, a striker aged 18 and Craig Walsh, a midfielder aged 19, join the Blues from Shamrock Rovers on an extended trial. Walsh will be known to those who watched Sky's 'Football's Next Star' where youngsters could win a contract at Inter under the tutelage of Jamie Redknapp. He finished third but was very, very good. A box to box midfielder with leadership skills who was really only let down by being homesick. He joined Shamrock Rovers this year and made his debut in a pre-season friendly game away to Longford Town scoring one goal in their 4-0 win.
Livesey is confirmed as being out for 12 weeks after seeing a specialist. He’s been ordered to have a complete rest for 3-4 weeks and surgery can’t be ruled out at this stage.
Jake Simpson is allowed to leave to pursue other options.
July 16th
The pre-season Fans’ Forum in Whitehaven goes ahead without any major incident kicking-off on the price of soup and so on.
A Carlisle Youth/Reserve XI secures a 1-1 draw in a hastily arranged game against Gillford Park after their friendly against Annan Athletic is called off the day before due to bad weather. Bowman scores Carlisle’s goal from the penalty spot.
Sunderland defender and human brick out-house Jean-Yves M'Voto links up at Friday’s training session with a view to playing in the Newcastle game the next day. French-born M'Voto, 21, was signed from Paris St Germaine for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2008 having made 41 appearances for his home-town club. He spent much of last season on-loan with Southend United where he played 17 games and scored one goal. "It's a chance for us to have a look at him and for him to have a look at us, then we can take it from there.” says the desperate incumbent CUFC manager.
Serial fruitcake Paul Huntingdon joins Yeovil on a 2-year deal.
July 17th
CARLISLE UTD 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 3 - FRIENDLY
A slightly harsh scoreline on the Cumbrians who, having employed a diamond formation again with an impressive MBW at its point, went on to create several good chances in the first half.
The Magpies came out of the traps strongly in the second half and scored three goals without reply.
Adam Collin (Tony Caig 71), Frankie Simek (Tony Kane 67), Jean-Yves M'Voto (Nick Wood 82), Ian Harte (Steven Swinglehurst 85), Peter Murphy (Billy Gibson 67), Paul Thirlwell (Patrick Cregg 46), Tom Taiwo (Kevan Hurst 46), James Berrett, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (Matty Robson 46), Chris Curran (Francois Zoko 46), Gary Madine (Jason Price 46).
Steve Harper (Tim Krul 46), Fabricio Coloccini (Steven Taylor 46, Liam Henderson 81), Jose Enrique (Shane Ferguson 46), Kevin Nolan (Joey Barton 46), Mike Williamson (James Perch 46), Peter Lovenkrands (Leon Best 46), Alan Smith (Wayne Routledge 46), Andy Carroll (Nile Ranger 46), Kazenga LuaLua (Haris Vuckic 46), Bradden Inman (Danny Guthrie 46), James Tavernier (Ryan Taylor 46).
Zoko will join the first-team squad at next week’s training camp in Leicester after impressing in the two weeks at the club. Cregg, Gibson and Wood are allowed to leave following their trials while Walsh and Shaw will join up again once the squad returns from camp. M’Voto’s people will hopefully be talking to the club on Monday.
Carlisle will be taking a look at 19-year old Clarets centre-half Kevin Long according to the official Burnley website. Irishman Long joined the Turf Moor side from Airtricity League of Ireland outfit Cork City during January of this year for a six-figure fee after Burnley had agreed a deal for the centre-half in late November 2009. Long, who can also play as a full-back, has been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad but has yet to earn his first cap, while in his home country he has also captained Cork`s Football Association of Ireland Youth and Munster Cup winning teams. Long has yet to be involved in a Burnley matchday eighteen but he did play 68 minutes of a 3-1 pre-season friendly win for MK Dons at St Neots Town on the day of the story. Both Carlisle and MK Dons are having a look at him and it seems certain that Long will join one of the two on a loan deal.
Mixed fortunes in the Northern Masters, a 5-0 humbling at the hands of Sunderland was followed by a 5-1 thrashing of the Barcodes. Aspinall had earlier pulled out of the tournament with Riccardo Gabbiadini taking his place.
* Taken as an average from the CUFC online messageboard.
** Taken from CUFC online main report as no (sensible) messageboard ratings
July 20th
Former gaffer Mervyn Day is taken on as a scout by L**ds United.
July 21st
Northern hemisphere diving champion Joe ‘the U-Boat’ Garner is allowed to join Huddersfield on a six-month loan from Forest.
July 22nd
Ginger legend Chris Lumsdon is forced to announce his retirement from the professional game at the age of just 30 following a persistent back injury.
Another hero of the Conference old guard, Magno Vieira, joins Fleetwood and blink-and-you’ve-missed-him Harry Worley pens a 3-year deal with Oxford Utd.
July 23rd
DARLINGTON 0 CARLISLE UTD 3 - FRIENDLY
A comfortable win for Carlisle following their week-long training camp. Zoko is brought down in the first half to give Harte the opportunity to take the lead in a quiet first half. Bowman’s turn and curled shot around the keeper is the moment of the game and Cook applied the icing on the top with a header from a MBW cross.
Team: Collin; Kane, Long, Harte (Murphy 46), Thirlwell (Kavanagh 70); Berrett (Bridge-Wilkinson 46), Zoko (Bowman 61); Taiwo; Madine (Price 46), Curran (Cook 83). Subs Caig, Gillespie, Hurst, Robson.
Goals: Harte (17, pen), Bowman (72), Cook (90)
July 26th
The value of having a Spanish passport following their win in South Africa becomes apparent as three more trial players arrive at Brunton Park. Former Villareal attacking midfielders Jose Maria Cases (23) and Edgar Chumillas Lopez (20) fly in for a stay with the club along with former Spurs and Cheltenham Town midfielder David Hutton (20).
July 28th
FALKIRK 1 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
With two back-to-back friendlies to play, the playing squad is appropriately divvied up to face the haggis munchers and smoggies. Hutton gets his first 20 minutes in a Carlisle shirt. Just over a 1,000 – not including the TV audience! - see Falkirk take the lead when they well known Scottish clan name ‘Higginbotham’ scores a toe-poke in off the post. Carlisle fight back and McKenna sets up Cook to score from 8 yards out with a header.
Team: Collin, Simek, Long, Harte, McDaid, Thirlwell, Taiwo (Hutton 69), Berrett, Bridge-Wilkinson (McKenna 69), Curran (Cook 69), Madine. Subs: Gillespie, Swinglehurst.
July 29th
Pointy diamond cum in-the-hole trialist Francoise Zoko agrees to a 1-year deal with the club. The Mr 15% for the U-23 Ivorian reportedly says that all he now needs is the Club’s bank account details, sort code and the maiden name of John Nixon’s mother in order to complete the necessary formalities……….
MIDDLESBOROUGH 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
Not quite “Super Carlisle Crappy Boro” as their first team squad was on a jolly somewhere around Europe at the time. Boro’s not-quite-good-enough XI is left with the booby prize of 90 minutes against the rampant Cumbrians.
For the second game running, penalty magnet Zoko is brought down in the box. This time around he scores himself. Caig produced one or two good saves and Kane cleared off the line as a little pressure came towards the end.
Team: Caig (Gillespie 75), Kane, Kavanagh, Murphy, Robson, Hurst, Cases, Zoko, Lopez (Todd 86), Price (Cook 60), Bowman (Hutton 60). Subs: Swinglehurst, McKenna.
July 30th
The Blues are given a bye in the 1st round of the JPT.
July 31st
YORK CITY 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 – YOUTH TEAM FRIENDLY
There’s no sign of a ‘Loser’ on the Carlisle side as Beck slots home the winner against the Minstermen. Give yourself 10 points if you understand the reference in that one.
Hartlepool United confirm the capture of Evan Horwood (insert your own monkey joke here).
USA! USA! right-back Frank Simek joins Carlisle on a 2-year deal following his release from Sheffield Wednesday. He made 119 appearances for the Owls after joining them from Arsenal in 2005, has 5 international caps to his name and was last called up to the USA! squad as recently as March for the 2-1 friendly defeat to Holland (did not play). As a couple of SWFC fans posted on the Board;
"Simek was a legend in the first 2 season with SWFC ... then he got his possible career threatening injury. It luckilly enough didnt end his career but he's not the same player as the one the bids of £2-3million came in for trust me. He's lost afew yards of pace and cant get up and down the pitch like he used to. Never the less, he is still highly thought of by the fans at SWFC and will be given a rousing reception on his return (if he's fit enough to play)."
"...you've got yourself a real gem of a player there! IF you can keep him fit! He was our best player for ages, then broke his ankle at Palace, and took a year to recover and just wasn't the same player! But if you can get him in regularly, and keep him fit, your onto a real coup. Never stops going forward, and pretty quick at getting back."
Travelling down to the likes of Bournemouth and Plymouth will probably seem like a short stroll around the corner to the American so for once, location doesn't appear to be a factor. There's the strategy Greg, time to start picking off the USA! World Cup squad and other fringe players one-by-one.
Watford's annual raid of the Carlisle talent locker has this year brought them Tom Aldred on a 2-year deal with an option for a 3rd. The Herts. team has made an offer of compensation at this time.
It's revealed that Scott Dobie will be watching crosses sail over his head next season with the news that Cleveland Taylor has taken up the offer to join him at St Johnstone.
July 2nd
Tony Hopper announces his retirement from football while Workington seek former legend Paul Murray as his direct replacement following his release from Shrewsbury at the end of last season.
Coventry are set for further discussions with Keiren Westwood in a bid to persuade him to sign a new contract at the Ricoh Arena as a clutch of Premier League clubs circle in anticipation.
* Taken as an average from the CUFC online messageboard.
** Taken from CUFC online main report as no (sensible) messageboard ratings
July 3rd
United’s planned training camp at Colchester is cancelled after it emerged their hotel in Essex had double-booked the Cumbrians with another club. What about a quick 5-a-side on the lawn to decide who gets custody of the booked rooms?
Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire is later revealed as the new venue for the training camp beginning on the 19th.
July 4th
Whitehaven will host the next fans’ forum at the Rugby League Football Club on the evening of Friday 16th July. Andrew Jenkins, Steve Pattison and John Nixon will be joined by manager Greg Abbott on the panel with BBC Radio Cumbria broadcasting live from the event in their Friday Night Sports Hour from 6pm onwards.
July 5th
The club take four players on trial:
Patrick Cregg (24), a midfielder from Hibs. He started his career with Man Utd before moving to Arsenal (3 apps.) and then Falkirk where he made over 100 appearances. He moved to Hibs last summer on a free.
Billy Gibson (19), a midfielder from Watford who had an impressive run out in the reserves last season.
Jake Simpson (19), a midfielder from Shrewsbury (Simmo’s boy who used to be in the CUFC Youth set up).
Francois Zoko (26) a forward from KV Oostende (Ivory Coast U-23 International Striker).
Gary Madine will take them all under his wing during their initial stay, he knows all about being on trial.
Not a good week for the Murrays. This time it’s Adam Murray being given a free from Oxford after the club enforces a policy to have their playing squad within near distance of the city. Murray, who lives in Derby, quickly secures a move to Luton.
July 6th
Expletive Alert! Livesey picks up a groin injury in training and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. At least we’ve got plenty of cover with Horwood, Aldred, Keogh and Raven. Oh.
Speaking of which, released defender David Raven joins Division 2 side Shrewsbury on a 1-year deal.
July 9th
KENDAL 1 CARLISLE UTD 4 - FRIENDLY
Goals from Madine, Curran, Zoko and Price secure a comfortable win for the Cumbrians in their first pre-season friendly.
1st half team: Collin, Simek, Swinglehurst, Harte, Thirlwell, Gibson, Hurst, Berrett, Bridge-Wilkinson, Madine, Curran.
2nd half team: Gillespie, Kane, McDaid, Murphy, Kavanagh, Simpson, Robson, Cregg, Taiwo, Price, Zoko.
Bench: Cook and Bowman
July 10th
Horwood’s come-and-get-me message in a bottle floats past Hartlepool harbour and washes up on the shores of Aberdeen where he commences a trial.
July 12th
It’s revealed that Adam Clayton has rejected a move to the Blues after the two clubs had agreed a fee.
July 13th
WORKINGTON 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
Centre-half Nick Wood (19) ex- Sheffield Wednesday makes an immediate impact with a late goal to divide the teams having only joined the club that day on trial.
Zoko looked lively again with some nice touches and worked well with Madine. Simek and McDaid were fairly steady.
1st half team: Collin, Simek, Harte, Murphy, McDaid, Simpson, Cregg, Berrett, Gibson, Madine, Zoko.
2nd half team: Collin, Kane, Harte, Murphy, McDaid, Taiwo, Cregg, Bridge-Wilkinson, Gibson, Bowman, Zoko
Conference hero Ginger Pan-face aka Chris Lumsdon announces his retirement from the game due to a persistent back injury.
July 14th
Irish forward and alleged former target David Mooney is told he can leave Reading.
An undisclosed agreement is reached with Watford over the Tom Aldred fee.
Rumours suggest Westwood is at Celtic having a medical ahead of a £1.7m move. ‘Alternative’ keeper Lenny Pidgeley meanwhile is having trials with Shrewsbury.
July 15th
Gary Shaw, a striker aged 18 and Craig Walsh, a midfielder aged 19, join the Blues from Shamrock Rovers on an extended trial. Walsh will be known to those who watched Sky's 'Football's Next Star' where youngsters could win a contract at Inter under the tutelage of Jamie Redknapp. He finished third but was very, very good. A box to box midfielder with leadership skills who was really only let down by being homesick. He joined Shamrock Rovers this year and made his debut in a pre-season friendly game away to Longford Town scoring one goal in their 4-0 win.
Livesey is confirmed as being out for 12 weeks after seeing a specialist. He’s been ordered to have a complete rest for 3-4 weeks and surgery can’t be ruled out at this stage.
Jake Simpson is allowed to leave to pursue other options.
July 16th
The pre-season Fans’ Forum in Whitehaven goes ahead without any major incident kicking-off on the price of soup and so on.
A Carlisle Youth/Reserve XI secures a 1-1 draw in a hastily arranged game against Gillford Park after their friendly against Annan Athletic is called off the day before due to bad weather. Bowman scores Carlisle’s goal from the penalty spot.
Sunderland defender and human brick out-house Jean-Yves M'Voto links up at Friday’s training session with a view to playing in the Newcastle game the next day. French-born M'Voto, 21, was signed from Paris St Germaine for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2008 having made 41 appearances for his home-town club. He spent much of last season on-loan with Southend United where he played 17 games and scored one goal. "It's a chance for us to have a look at him and for him to have a look at us, then we can take it from there.” says the desperate incumbent CUFC manager.
Serial fruitcake Paul Huntingdon joins Yeovil on a 2-year deal.
July 17th
CARLISLE UTD 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 3 - FRIENDLY
A slightly harsh scoreline on the Cumbrians who, having employed a diamond formation again with an impressive MBW at its point, went on to create several good chances in the first half.
The Magpies came out of the traps strongly in the second half and scored three goals without reply.
Adam Collin (Tony Caig 71), Frankie Simek (Tony Kane 67), Jean-Yves M'Voto (Nick Wood 82), Ian Harte (Steven Swinglehurst 85), Peter Murphy (Billy Gibson 67), Paul Thirlwell (Patrick Cregg 46), Tom Taiwo (Kevan Hurst 46), James Berrett, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (Matty Robson 46), Chris Curran (Francois Zoko 46), Gary Madine (Jason Price 46).
Steve Harper (Tim Krul 46), Fabricio Coloccini (Steven Taylor 46, Liam Henderson 81), Jose Enrique (Shane Ferguson 46), Kevin Nolan (Joey Barton 46), Mike Williamson (James Perch 46), Peter Lovenkrands (Leon Best 46), Alan Smith (Wayne Routledge 46), Andy Carroll (Nile Ranger 46), Kazenga LuaLua (Haris Vuckic 46), Bradden Inman (Danny Guthrie 46), James Tavernier (Ryan Taylor 46).
Zoko will join the first-team squad at next week’s training camp in Leicester after impressing in the two weeks at the club. Cregg, Gibson and Wood are allowed to leave following their trials while Walsh and Shaw will join up again once the squad returns from camp. M’Voto’s people will hopefully be talking to the club on Monday.
Carlisle will be taking a look at 19-year old Clarets centre-half Kevin Long according to the official Burnley website. Irishman Long joined the Turf Moor side from Airtricity League of Ireland outfit Cork City during January of this year for a six-figure fee after Burnley had agreed a deal for the centre-half in late November 2009. Long, who can also play as a full-back, has been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad but has yet to earn his first cap, while in his home country he has also captained Cork`s Football Association of Ireland Youth and Munster Cup winning teams. Long has yet to be involved in a Burnley matchday eighteen but he did play 68 minutes of a 3-1 pre-season friendly win for MK Dons at St Neots Town on the day of the story. Both Carlisle and MK Dons are having a look at him and it seems certain that Long will join one of the two on a loan deal.
Mixed fortunes in the Northern Masters, a 5-0 humbling at the hands of Sunderland was followed by a 5-1 thrashing of the Barcodes. Aspinall had earlier pulled out of the tournament with Riccardo Gabbiadini taking his place.
* Taken as an average from the CUFC online messageboard.
** Taken from CUFC online main report as no (sensible) messageboard ratings
July 20th
Former gaffer Mervyn Day is taken on as a scout by L**ds United.
July 21st
Northern hemisphere diving champion Joe ‘the U-Boat’ Garner is allowed to join Huddersfield on a six-month loan from Forest.
July 22nd
Ginger legend Chris Lumsdon is forced to announce his retirement from the professional game at the age of just 30 following a persistent back injury.
Another hero of the Conference old guard, Magno Vieira, joins Fleetwood and blink-and-you’ve-missed-him Harry Worley pens a 3-year deal with Oxford Utd.
July 23rd
DARLINGTON 0 CARLISLE UTD 3 - FRIENDLY
A comfortable win for Carlisle following their week-long training camp. Zoko is brought down in the first half to give Harte the opportunity to take the lead in a quiet first half. Bowman’s turn and curled shot around the keeper is the moment of the game and Cook applied the icing on the top with a header from a MBW cross.
Team: Collin; Kane, Long, Harte (Murphy 46), Thirlwell (Kavanagh 70); Berrett (Bridge-Wilkinson 46), Zoko (Bowman 61); Taiwo; Madine (Price 46), Curran (Cook 83). Subs Caig, Gillespie, Hurst, Robson.
Goals: Harte (17, pen), Bowman (72), Cook (90)
July 26th
The value of having a Spanish passport following their win in South Africa becomes apparent as three more trial players arrive at Brunton Park. Former Villareal attacking midfielders Jose Maria Cases (23) and Edgar Chumillas Lopez (20) fly in for a stay with the club along with former Spurs and Cheltenham Town midfielder David Hutton (20).
July 28th
FALKIRK 1 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
With two back-to-back friendlies to play, the playing squad is appropriately divvied up to face the haggis munchers and smoggies. Hutton gets his first 20 minutes in a Carlisle shirt. Just over a 1,000 – not including the TV audience! - see Falkirk take the lead when they well known Scottish clan name ‘Higginbotham’ scores a toe-poke in off the post. Carlisle fight back and McKenna sets up Cook to score from 8 yards out with a header.
Team: Collin, Simek, Long, Harte, McDaid, Thirlwell, Taiwo (Hutton 69), Berrett, Bridge-Wilkinson (McKenna 69), Curran (Cook 69), Madine. Subs: Gillespie, Swinglehurst.
July 29th
Pointy diamond cum in-the-hole trialist Francoise Zoko agrees to a 1-year deal with the club. The Mr 15% for the U-23 Ivorian reportedly says that all he now needs is the Club’s bank account details, sort code and the maiden name of John Nixon’s mother in order to complete the necessary formalities……….
MIDDLESBOROUGH 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 - FRIENDLY
Not quite “Super Carlisle Crappy Boro” as their first team squad was on a jolly somewhere around Europe at the time. Boro’s not-quite-good-enough XI is left with the booby prize of 90 minutes against the rampant Cumbrians.
For the second game running, penalty magnet Zoko is brought down in the box. This time around he scores himself. Caig produced one or two good saves and Kane cleared off the line as a little pressure came towards the end.
Team: Caig (Gillespie 75), Kane, Kavanagh, Murphy, Robson, Hurst, Cases, Zoko, Lopez (Todd 86), Price (Cook 60), Bowman (Hutton 60). Subs: Swinglehurst, McKenna.
July 30th
The Blues are given a bye in the 1st round of the JPT.
July 31st
YORK CITY 0 CARLISLE UTD 1 – YOUTH TEAM FRIENDLY
There’s no sign of a ‘Loser’ on the Carlisle side as Beck slots home the winner against the Minstermen. Give yourself 10 points if you understand the reference in that one.
Hartlepool United confirm the capture of Evan Horwood (insert your own monkey joke here).