As Carlisle United tried to make headway from the bottom reaches of the First Division, one of the city’s best footballing sons was making headlines of a different nature.
The front page of the Evening News & Star was given over to 20-year-old Kevin Beattie who, it was reported, had walked out on an England Under-23 call-up.
Ipswich Town’s Botcherby boy had been on a train from London to Manchester, where he was due to meet England boss Don Revie, before travelling on to Aberdeen for the Scotland clash. But he opted to change at Crewe and instead head to Carlisle.
“I wanted to talk things over with my mother and my family,” said Beattie, the reigning young player of the year. “You’ve no idea of the pressures at the top. I’m worn out and just couldn’t face the game.”
Carlisle's young star was hitting the headlines in December 1974Carlisle's young star was hitting the headlines in December 1974 (Image: News & Star)
Beattie stressed he still had England ambitions but the young star was spotted in a Carlisle discotheque to celebrate his 21st birthday, before boarding a train back to Ipswich.
If there were troubled times for Beattie, United’s own problems were of the weekly order, in terms of lifting their fortunes in Division One before it was too late. A home defeat to Chelsea had deepened their difficulties and Alan Ashman now had to prepare for a trip to take on a strong Everton side.
There was good news in one respect given that Eddie Prudham had returned to light training, having been stretchered off against the London side, but Mike Barry broke down with a groin strain. There was also uncertainty over the futures of Bobby Owen and Joe Laidlaw. Carlisle’s board had considered the duo’s transfer requests and agreed that they could be available for a move should they attract interest.
In the meantime, the way to get United upwardly mobile again was aired – with one proposed method swiftly dismissed. “We had a lengthy team discussion in which I discussed with the players the question of resorting to tougher methods in lifting us higher up the table,” said Ashman.
The consensus, it was reported, that the Blues would not be moving away from their footballing style, and would rely on it once more against an Everton side who had lost just once in the league so far, and were unbeaten at Goodison Park.
Joe Laidlaw...from transfer request to memorable brace at GoodisonJoe Laidlaw...from transfer request to memorable brace at Goodison (Image: PA)
An Everton side spearheaded by Bob Latchford was to be feared…yet Carlisle, on Merseyside, went on to pull off one of the most dramatic results of their season.
Ashman recalled Chris Balderstone and Laidlaw in place of Prudham and Barry, while history was made by keeper Allan Ross, whose 359th game in a Blues jersey broke the club league appearances record.
It was anticipated to be a busy afternoon for Ross and this prediction began to play out very early in the game. Everton took the lead after just six minutes, United having conceded a corner after a Latchford miss. Gary Jones’ set-piece was attacked by John Connolly, whose header came back off the post to Latchford, who steered the ball home.
Carlisle’s task in this spell was to limit further damage. A superb Ross save denied Latchford another, and then the keeper thwarted Connolly at close range. United tried to throw some punches of their own, with Balderstone going close from 25 yards, while Laidlaw and Les O’Neill came close amid some more enterprising Carlisle work later in the first half.
Everton's two-goal Bob LatchfordEverton's two-goal Bob Latchford (Image: PA)
Yet hopes of parity were dashed when Latchford struck again in the 51st minute. This time the frontman volleyed home John Hurst’s cross from five yards and it now seemed Everton’s pressure and quality would prove irresistible.
Yet Carlisle swiftly began their fightback. A couple of minutes later, they had pulled a goal back, the recalled Laidlaw applying the finishing header from Peter Carr’s cross.
This was the cue for more intrepid Cumbrian play, and remarkably, come the 57th minute, United had pulled level. Laidlaw was on the spot again after John Gorman had threaded Frank Clarke through for a shot which keeper Dai Davies could only allow to roll into Laidlaw’s path.
Everton looked to mount a resurgence, and went to all-out attack to try and reassert themselves. Yet Carlisle’s defence was secure…and then, in the 64th minute, United incredibly struck again.
Balderstone, with some timeless skill, was the provider, jinking past two defenders on the right. When he crossed into the middle, O’Neill arrived to bury a header past Davies.
Les O'Neill heads United's winner at EvertonLes O'Neill heads United's winner at Everton (Image: News & Star)
It was the sort of attacking flurry which had been lost to Carlisle for so long, yet now they had a memorable lead to protect on a daunting stage. Ross was back in the thick of things, saving from Dave Clements, while Bobby Parker produced some masterful defensive contributions.
Mick Lyons missed the target from one of Everton’s better late chances, and when Ross smothered a late Connolly scramble, the Toffees had come unstuck, and a 33,000 crowd had witnessed a United heist.
One of the greats had witnessed the 3-2 victory too: Bill Shankly was in the crowd to watch his former club pull off such a famous win. “Carlisle were magnificent,” he said. “This was a great display and I enjoyed it very much.
“This was the first time I’ve seen them since they moved into Division One, and I liked what I saw.”
It was, all in all, the perfect pre-Christmas tonic, before fans could tuck into the Boxing Day spectacle of a clash with Newcastle United…
Read last week’s 1974/75 feature HERE