The Lowdown on...Carlisle

FROM Hadrian's Wall to Sutton Harbour, you will cover nearly every inch of England travelling from Carlisle to Plymouth, or vice versa. Here is what is happening with the Cumbrians...

Last Season: 20th, League Two, 51 pts
Manager: Keith Curle
Nickname: The Cumbrians
When we play them: home - Tuesday, August 18; away - Saturday, January 2 Last season: home - W 1-0; away - L 2-0
Ins: Angelo Balanta (Bristol Rovers); Bastien Hery (Rochdale); Jabo Ibehre (Colchester United); Luke Joyce (Accrington Stanley); Jason Kennedy (Bradford City); Alexander McQueen (Tottenham Hotspur); Tom Miller (Lincoln City); Michael Raynes (Mansfield Town).
Outs: David Amoo (Partick Thistle); Nathan Buddle (Gateshead); Kyle Dempsey (Huddersfield Town); Stephen Elliott; Anthony Griffith; Jason Kennedy (Bradford City); Sean O’Hanlon (Stockport County); Billy Paynter (Hartlepool); Brad Potts (Blackpool); Josh Gillies (Gateshead); Matt Robson; David Symington; Paul Thirlwell (Harrogate Town).

If Carlisle United were a singer, they would be... Carl Douglas. Sharing the same opening four letters as the Brunton Park side, Douglas had his golden era as his song Kung Fu Fighting reached number one in the charts in the UK. This was August-September 1974, and with expert timing, Carlisle were kicking from the hip and reaching the top of the first division. Bill Green scored as fast as lightning against Chelsea, and the Cumbrians have never been higher.