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(Story appeared in News & Star 20/04/06)
IT will be almost exactly two years to the day of their last visit to Field Mill
when Carlisle United return to Mansfield on
Saturday – and the difference could not be starker.
What a Difference...
(Story appeared in News & Star 20/04/06)
IT will be almost exactly two years to the day of their last visit to Field Mill
when Carlisle United return to Mansfield on
Saturday – and the difference could not be starker.
Few Blues fans will forget their previous visit on April 24, 2004, when United
pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory to give them a lifeline in their battle to
avoid relegation.
pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory to give them a lifeline in their battle to
avoid relegation.
Then, jubilant Cumbrian supporters saluted the heroics of former ‘keeper Matty Glennon, whose last-minute penalty save gave Paul Simpson's battlers a dramatic stay of execution.
But when they lock horns with the Stags once more this weekend, they are likely to be celebrating again – but for entirely different reasons.
United will run out at Field Mill (kick-off 3pm) with League Two promotion
already secured if Grimsby fail to beat Cheltenham on Friday night. If the
Mariners win, Simpson's men will need just a point at Mansfield to seal their
place in League One next season.
already secured if Grimsby fail to beat Cheltenham on Friday night. If the
Mariners win, Simpson's men will need just a point at Mansfield to seal their
place in League One next season.
And if the Blues win, and second-placed Northampton fail to beat Oxford, United will be crowned as champions.
Manager Simpson, whose team were finally relegated the week after that dramatic game two years ago following an heroic battle to beat the drop, admits that fate has thrown the two sides together for what could be another historic day for Carlisle.
“It seems funny that it is Mansfield again,” he told News & Star Sport. “I'll never forget the scenes at the end of that game and the excitement that went with it. “This time, of course, we want to be celebrating a victory for the right
reasons. “That was a really memorable day because we had avoided relegation. But this time we want to be talking about promotion.
“It seems funny that it is Mansfield again,” he told News & Star Sport. “I'll never forget the scenes at the end of that game and the excitement that went with it. “This time, of course, we want to be celebrating a victory for the right
reasons. “That was a really memorable day because we had avoided relegation. But this time we want to be talking about promotion.
“We had a lot of supporters there then and I believe we will have a tremendous following this weekend. We don't want to let those fans down.
“We want to make it a really positive day and hopefully we will all have
something to celebrate at the end.”
something to celebrate at the end.”
Simpson is hopeful of taking a fully-fit squad to Field Mill with Danny Livesey
battling to be fit after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.
battling to be fit after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.
The big defender, 21, returned to training yesterday and Simpson said he was hopeful the former Bolton man would have recovered in time to return to the squad.
The Blues boss, however, is unlikely to rush Livesey back to face the
15th-placed Stags, and is expected to retain the centre-half partnership of
Kevin Gray and Peter Murphy, with a more likely comeback date for Livesey being next Saturday's final home game of the season against Torquay.
15th-placed Stags, and is expected to retain the centre-half partnership of
Kevin Gray and Peter Murphy, with a more likely comeback date for Livesey being next Saturday's final home game of the season against Torquay.
Simpson added: “Mansfield don't have a lot to play for but they will want to
cause us problems. Russ (Richardson, chief scout) has watched them and warned us about the threat of Richard Barker, and Adam Rundle will want to prove a point against his former club.
cause us problems. Russ (Richardson, chief scout) has watched them and warned us about the threat of Richard Barker, and Adam Rundle will want to prove a point against his former club.
“So we have to make sure we are prepared for it.”