We do not like to recognise this.

[_Stefan_Kuntz]

There is a significant amount of the Carlisle United support that has the attitude "When are we going to get out of this crap division?". There is a significant amount of the Carlisle United support that knows the highs that the team temporarily achieved and expects such status to be achieved again permanently.

Let's be clear about the club's status. Carlisle United joined the Third Division North in 1928. From then until the end of the Third Division North in 1958 the team played 999 matches in that division and got 949 points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw). Thus it can be stated that the club was effectively in Tier 4 for those years. Since then the club has been actually in Tier 4 for the vast majority of the time.

Probably at least half the clubs currently in Tier 4 have far more robust finances than Carlisle United. Probably at least 6 clubs in the National League have far more robust finances than Carlisle United.

So let's not get the idea that the club's natural status is any higher than Tier 4. No doubt some people will cite small clubs that have gone higher but these are exceptions and they have either returned to Tier 4 or are about to return there. The common sense natural order of things is that if you want to fight it is better to be big and strong rather than small and weak, although a small and weak person may win the occasional fight.

Only when Carlisle United FC has an incredible manager (Ashman, Stokoe, Simpson etc) can it sustain any period of time above Tier 4. In the event of the team achieving promotion this season is there anyone who would believe (rather than merely hope) that the team will remain above Tier 4 in 5 years time? It is inevitable that whatever takes a small club above its station gets taken away from it and the club, although getting a financial boost, will inevitably descend.

[Psaw]

Football isnt about gates or the town anymore, when Abramovich bought Chelsea, they were lower div 1, div 2 club. Its about your owner, and how much they invest.

Carlisle are not well placed to attract overseas investors, though you never know, like Wrexham. Ine probably seen my last football league game, never mind the prem, Wisbech does me.

Football isnt sport, its a business. How Man City fans can get excited about winning everything is beyond me, its not about Manchester.

When i was the manager of Rubery we were in the hospital cup, and only hospital staff were allowed to play, i said no to ringers who were available.

It was wrong, as far as i knew other teams did not play ringers, no checks were made, serious gloom over my decision.

Haaland, Grealish, and whoever plays for them now, few if any are mancunians.

They are ringers.

Its cheating, its buying success. If it was up to me, Carlisle or Cambridge should have locals in the team. End of. That would truly be a Carlisle or Cambridge team.

[griff]

Carlisle have quite a few locals in the team, as well as the Manager and Assistant Manager.