Football at Carlisle

I do find it humourously ironic that old backward socialist Europe is home of the sporting free; a place where teams aren’t punished with salary caps for the crime of being well run or good; a place where bad clubs get relegated – or even occasionally go out of business - to often then be re-established by their orphaned fans.

As my brother pointed out last night, Taiwan is just the latest in a series of terrible football teams to which I have pledged my support. I grew up in south-west Scotland. This means that not only do I follow Scotland - whose recent achievements have included a one all draw with the Faroe Islands and a drubbing at the hands of Moldova - but I also cheer on Queen of the South – a team in the champions league of clubs with great names but who rattle around in the Scottish "Division One" of football – actually the nation’s 2^nd tier league. The stupid title came about when it was decided the top division - as is often the case in English when one wants to make something mediocre sound better - should be given a French sounding name – The Scottish Premier League.

My home’s closest town of any significance however is actually in England – Carlisle. They play in the English "league one" which surprise surprise is nothing of the sort. It’s actually the third division. Some unhinged bureaucrat a while back thought that more money could made if the top 2 leagues were re-branded the Premiership (sound familiar?) and the championship - the championship of England’s 21^st to 44^th best teams. You couldn't make it up.

These days Carlisle United are on (for them) something of a crest. But they produced their finest ever moment at the bottom of a horrible trough.

I'd like to share that moment with you. It's a real beauty I'm sure you'll agree. Please pay attention to the context at the start.