On This Day today features the programme from Carlisle United’s only top-flight season, in 1974/75. Read our programme review below and see all the Division One issues from 1974/75 here.
Carlisle’s programme for their only top-flight season to date was a 24-page effort. The programme contained a significant amount of advertising content – indeed, more than any other issue in Division One that season – which meant a limited amount of reading material was included.
The programme opened with ‘Viewpoint’, written by journalist Ivor Broadis who reflected on Brian Clough’s recent departure from Leeds United after just 44 days and drawing a contrast between that appointment and Liverpool’s promotion of Bob Paisley to manager following the retirement of Bill Shankly. ‘Club Chatter’ meanwhile reflected on attendances at Brunton Park in the early part of the season, as well as recent fortunes on the pitch.
Coverage of visitors Birmingham City is provided over five pages, kicking off with a decent opening article that focuses on recent transfer activity, as well as providing the briefest of club histories. There is a full-page team group picture and an article on Blues’ striker Bob Hatton, who was returning to Brunton Park after two and a half years with Carlisle between 1969 and 1971. The centre pages of the programme are then given over to profiles of the Birmingham squad, including pictures of Trevor Francis and Gordon Taylor.
The programme also includes a page of results and fixtures for Carlisle and a Division One results grid. There are pictures of previous matches and snippets from newspaper coverage of those games in ‘What the Papers Say’. The Supporters Club are given a page towards the back of the programme and a league table shows Carlisle sitting in ninth position, though they would drop to last place by the end of the season.
A somewhat limited effort then from Carlisle, although the detailed coverage of their matchday opponents was certainly among the better examples in the division.