Whatever Greg Abbott said at half time yesterday, worked wonders as United stormed back in Roy of the Rovers style to keep the surge going. Standing in the Paddock at half time as the rain began to fall I should have had the same confidence as a fellow Blue who put £5 on Carlisle to win at 66/1 !!

Nice One Skip Competition & Annual Raffle Winners

The competetion winner was Mike Kilner and the raffle winners were :-

The Complete Record - Ian Jardine
Singin the Blues - Alan baldwin
Training top - Tony Little
Nice one skip - Makiko Brookes
Fleece top - Mike Whitehead
Premier Club sets - Jon McCloughlin & John Sawrey-Cookson
Man Utd v Carlisle programme - Andrew Penn
Mose mat - Robin Tasker
CUFC key rings - Steve Brown, Matt Tasker & Mike Kilner

Can you please contact me to arrange collection of your prizes.

Match Sponsors

We are proud to be the match sponsors for the final home league game against Millwall on Saturday 2nd May. Our package allows 40 supporters a Foxys meal and match ticket package. If you are interested in attending at a cost of £25 per head please let me know. This offer is restricted to members only until 12th February when any spare places can be taken up by guests.

Tranmere 24th January ko 3pm

Tickets are priced at adults £20.50, seniors and young persons ( 17-22 ) £9.50 and U16 £5.

I have orders from Ken Hullock, Alan Millington, Dave Croxford & Mike Carruthers . Please order by 5pm Monday 19th January.

Hartlepool 27th January ko 7.45pm

Tickets are priced at £20 adults and £10 for all others. This game has the potential for being all ticket so please order by 5pm Tuesday 20th January.

Peterborough 7th February ko 3pm

Groupsave train will be the 1122 from Kings Cross using the First capital Connect service ( groupsave not available on North East Express ). These trains stop at Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage where we have several members. If you are looking at doing the trip by train and want to do groupsave please let me know.

Our meeting place for the ditribution of tickets will be Ebenezers http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=ebenezers%20map%20%2B%20peterborough&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

The supporters match is confirmed as a 10.30am kick off and the groupsave for players/spectators will be the 08.36am from Kings Cross.

Please register for groupsave train for both options.

Brighton 14th February ko 3pm

What better way to spend your valentines day than in the romantic setting of the Withdean ? This game is all ticket.

The meeting place at Brighton will be the Evening Star http://www.eveningstarbrighton.co.uk/.

Tony Little is hosting a post match social at his house ( near Three Bridges station ). If you want to come along contact him at social@carlislelondonbranch.org.

Yeovil 7th March ko 3pm

Groupsave will be available on the 1020 from Waterloo arriving at Yeovil Junction at 1233 at just over £20 per head if in groups of 4. Please register your interest with me.


***** If you are ordering tickets please keep your TDS topped up . You can check your balance on our website at http://www.carlislelondonbranch.org/travel/ticketdeposit.html.

Summer Trip

The 2009 London Branch Summer Trip will be to Cologne for three nights, departing on Friday 12th June 2009. If you are interested in going and have not yet contacted Mike Carruthers please do so ASAP. If you are unable to confirm your attendance at this stage, you can contact Mike later and he will endeavour to reserve accommodation for you at the same hotel or, if this is not possible, will arrange accommodation at a nearby alternative hotel.

Mike can be contacted at summertrip@carlislelondonbranch.org.

Mascots

Are there any Brunton Blues who would like to be mascots at Southern away games ? We have places for most remaining games so please let Ian Jardine know at mascots@carlislelondonbranch.org if you fancy a day to remember.

Hit The Bar!

All contributions for HTB are gladly received before the deadline next week. What have you made of the season so far ? Tell us what you think and see your comments in print. It's your mag, so please contribute reports, letters and general craic. Colour pictures really enhance the magazine - not football action on the pitch because of copyright .Why not write a letter to the Editor. What is your reaction to Greg and now Dennis Booth getting contracts for 18 months. Have you heard any Degsy Balls ? Has he made many recently ? Any Carlisle/Football jokes would also be welcome.

If anyone has friends, family, colleagues that support Peterborough, Brighton, Crewe, Yeovil or Southend - can you ask them to write "The Opposition View" for Hit The Bar.

Please email Dave Brown : editor@carlislelondonbranch.org for the format and all your contributions.

Branch Meeting

The next meeting has been brought forward a week to Thursday 12th February at the Civil Service Club. All members welcome. Please contact with Al Millington at information@carlislelondonbranch.org if you are coming along.


Simon Clarkson


*** 18th January 1975 - Carlisle United win 2-1 ( Clarke & Laidlaw ) against Ipswich, thus turning out to be a vital two points dropped for the tractor boys who finished only two points off winning the title ( reproduced with kind permission from ' On This Day ' ).