Footy mad Cumbrian exile, Lynne Maxwell, has a passion for lower league football. Despite being surrounded by high flying London Premier League clubs while based in the capital, she sticks to her roots by supporting home side, Carlisle United, and all that goes with it. Join Lynne each week as she shares the highs and lows of being part of the Blue Army.

Have you ever heard something quite so ridiculous as a girl who knows about football? I know, barmy huh? Well, guess what, it happens. And I'm one of them. I'm a Carlisle United fan (someone has to be) and yes, I know the off-side rule (this is becoming an increasingly boring test nowadays), I attend games, I can name the whole squad, management and board of directors and have been hooked since the day I got taken to my first game 20 years ago – Carlisle v Wrexham. We won 2-0.

I mean, the likes of Wembley didn't just install women's loos with Take That concerts in mind! Girls going to football is much more common place now, but we still have to put up with the sly comments about the fact we're just there to check out the players' legs.

I've followed my local team, Carlisle United, properly since around 1995, when I was 12. Some might think I became a 'glory supporter' after we reached the final of the old Auto Windscreens Trophy (now Johnstone's Paint Trophy), but we got beat 1-0 by Birmingham. Anyway, the term 'glory supporter' and Carlisle United never appears in the same sentence! We've had more downs than ups over the years, and there's been a hell of a lot of close shaves. As a Blue Army fan, we're either battling in the play-offs or, more likely, staving off relegation, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Last year was definitely a highlight, when we beat Brentford at Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. We have a love affair with that competition, having been in five finals in the past 15 years, winning it twice. It's exciting being a Carlisle fan, and despite being around 260 miles away in London now, I still attend games – away rather than at Brunton Park, granted.

I intend to share my experiences as a fan, each week, including the special times and the not so good times. One major highlight being that Jimmy Glass goal and my date with him (purely for work purposes, obviously). I'll reveal all next week.

Picture credit: Adam Davy/PA Images