Footy mad Cumbrian exile, and at home chief sub, Lynne Maxwell, has a passion for lower league football, particularly Carlisle United. This week, she reminisces over the history of Carlisle's ground, Brunton Park, along with the need for change.
This week's column is so called because, quite simply, it is – especially with some great results coming off home turf lately (we've only lost three League games there so far this season). Carlisle United's ground, Brunton Park, holds many memories for me, as it will for thousands of other fans. However, with plans for a new 12,000 capacity, all-seater stadium coming to light (current one holds around 18,000), it's time to move on and the Kingmoor Park site on the outskirts of the city looks a go-er whether we like it or not.
There's something special about a stadium you've visited year after year, through thick and through thin (my friend Helen, who has a season ticket in the Warwick Road end, calls it her 'happy place'), and to up sticks and take those memories elsewhere, will be really hard. Don't get me wrong, I realise we need to do it, it just feels weird right now. Our board is taking stock of the guidelines they will have to meet should we get promoted to the Championship. Don't laugh, we're only three points of the play-offs – nearly unheard of at this stage in the season!
To be honest, we needed to sort it out anyway. One peculiar thing away fans will notice when they visit, is that the stand actually runs 18-20 yards past the goal line at the north end of the pitch. This is because we erected the all-seater East Stand (now Story Homes Stand, of course) back in 1996, with a view of moving the pitch further northwards so a new stand at the southern end of the ground could also be built. These plan never materialised though, and the East Stand now looks like it's been built in the wrong place!
My favourite place to watch the game is in the Warwick. Surrounded by singers – much to the visiting keeper's annoyance – and a drum on the odd occasion, the atmosphere is electric, especially when we're winning, obviously. The East stand residents remain quiet throughout and those in the Paddock (or West Stand, to give it its correct name), let their feelings known now and again – usually directed towards the managers standing outside their respective dugouts. The Waterworks End (or The Petteril End) is usually closed and now houses the digital scoreboard.
As a fan, I've witnessed a lot there. From securing promotion to the old Division Two back in 1997 by beating Rochdale 3-2 in a nervy encounter, to the dream of hosting Arsenal in the FA Cup Third Round when the Gunners scraped a 1-0 victory (and Richard Prokas accidentally almost ruining Patrick Vieira's career!), right through to the Jimmy Glass show in 1999 and that memorable day on 3 November 2007, when we beat Leeds 3-1 to end their amazing 13-game unbeaten run. And not to mention the days when my fave player, Scott Dobie, gave me his shirts (yes, plural). I'll save that nugget for a future column.
So, needless to say, I'll be sad to leave Brunton Park with its 100-year history and all that came with it. But United are one of fewer than two dozen of the 72 clubs in the Football League that are not in all-seater stadia, so it was only a matter of time before we moved on. Let's just hope we take that statue of legendary striker, Hugh McIlmoyle, who netted 91 goals in 189 appearances for the club, with us!
Picture credt: Barry Coombs/PA Images
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More about the author
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.
