For a few momentous days in 1974 Carlisle United FC topped the whole of the Football League after they won their first three games of the 1974-75 season, but then it all went wrong as they struggled for goals and their one and only season in the top flight ended in relegation.

There was the consolation of an FA Cup quarter-final place that season, the furthest they have got in the famous competition, but Carlisle United would willingly have swapped that for staying up in the top flight.

Founded in 1904, Carlisle United FC were elected to the Football League Division Three North in 1928 and remained there until 1958, when they found themselves in Division Four following the reorganisation of the League.

Promotion to Division Three followed in 1962, but for the next three years the Cumbrians see-sawed between the third and fourth tiers until they won the Division Three championship in 1965 and a place in Division Two.

Five years later Carlisle United FC reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, their best performance in the tournament, but they achieved their wildest dreams in 1974 when Alan Ashman guided them to four wins in their last five games and that solitary season in Division One.

Further relegation followed in 1977, but Carlisle United FC won promotion to the second tier again as Division Three runners-up in 1982 under Bob Stokoe.

By 1987, though, the Cumbrians found themselves back in Division Four and they remained in the bottom tier until 1995, narrowly missing out on promotion twice.

Carlisle United FC finally clambered out of the bottom tier under Mick Wadsworth by winning the Division Three championship eight points ahead of Walsall, achieving a club record of 91.

The same season Wadsworth took the club to Wembley for the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield, but they were edged out 1-0 by Birmingham City. Carlisle United FC made amends, though, in 1997 when, with Mervyn Day in charge, they beat Colchester 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to lift the trophy.

However, in 2004 Carlisle United FC hit rock bottom
when they were relegated to the Conference in Paul Simpson's first season in charge. He rebuilt magnificently, though, winning the play-offs the following season and the League Two title in 2006.
Carlisle United FC came so close to a further promotion in 2008, but Leeds United's 3-2 aggregate victory ended those dreams in the play-off semi-finals.