**CARLISLE UNITED 1-2 CHELTENHAM TOWN – December 9, 1933**
An FA Cup humbling at the hands of semi-amateur opposition from the Birmingham Combination. United’s Division Three North men looked in control when 1-0 up at the break through Bill Slinger. But a Robins equaliser after the break rocked them and a late own-goal stunned the Blues. A 7,437 crowd watched the humiliation, a number of whom rushed onto the pitch at full-time to confront the referee, who had denied Carlisle with a number of controversial decisions.
**CARLISLE UNITED 0-1 GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET – January 29, 1963**
Another from the FA Cup roll call of shame. Carlisle, a few months earlier, had won the first promotion in their history. Come January they had got past Hartlepools United and Blyth Spartans in the early rounds but then came a cropper against Gravesend from the Southern League. A miserable 1-0 defeat courtesy of an ignominious performance proved the end for Ivor Powell, the manager, who was sacked a few days later.
Ivor Powell: Paid the price after Gravesend defeat _(Image: News & Star)_
**CROOK TOWN 1-0 CARLISLE UNITED – November 14, 1964**
Even the greatest Blues seasons are not always immune from calamity. Alan Ashman’s United were, in 1964/65, en route to a second successive promotion, and the club’s very first league title, yet they still managed to stumble in the FA Cup first round at the hands of Crook. The FA Amateur Cup holders, featuring future United star Peter Garbutt, were an admired non-league side and capitalised on a poor Carlisle display. “A black day for Carlisle United,” wrote Bob Wood in the _Cumberland Evening News._
**COLCHESTER UNITED 2-0 CARLISLE UNITED – October 9, 1974**
Carlisle’s highest-flying season – the First Division campaign of 1974/75 – included the unwanted interlude of a League Cup third round upset. Alan Ashman’s top-flight side came unstuck at Layer Road as Colchester United from the third tier bridged the game on a combative occasion. Bobby Svarc and Steve Leslie did the damage as Carlisle players were pelted with missiles from the crowd.
Carlisle's top-flight status did not guard against a cup defeat against third-tier Colchester in 1974 _(Image: News & Star)_
**PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1-0 CARLISLE UNITED – January 25, 1986**
A sure sign that United’s second-tier days were numbered came in the cups during 1985/86. In the League Cup, the Blues were ousted in the first round by Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra. Then, in the FA Cup, Bob Stokoe’s side followed an impressive win over Queens Park Rangers by slumping to defeat at London Road at the hands of basement division side Posh. Relegation would eventually cap a campaign of decline.
**MACCLESFIELD TOWN 4-2 CARLISLE UNITED – November 14, 1987**
United were at their lowest ebb for many years in 1987, after consecutive relegations down to the bottom tier. Harry Gregg, the manager, had just paid for the slump with his job when Carlisle went to Macclesfield, then of the Conference. Under caretakers Jon Clark and Mally Poskett, United went 2-0 up…then crashed to a 4-2 defeat whose bleak outcome was also accompanied by crowd trouble at the Moss Rose.
**ILKESTON TOWN 2-1 CARLISLE UNITED – October 30, 1999**
Of recent decades, this is probably the biggest stinker – an [FA Cup first round ousting at the hands of Ilkeston](https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/18017483.fifth-keeper-nine-games-goal-ugly-sister---remembering-carlisle-utds-farcical-fa-cup-humbling-ilkeston/?ref=ed_direct#gallery0), two tiers down in the Dr Martens League Southern Premier Division. Carlisle, during Michael Knighton’s controversial era, were in crisis on and off the pitch and emergency signing Barry Thompson – their fifth goalkeeper in nine games – failed to keep out a Paul Raynor corner which earned a famous win for Keith Alexander’s Ilkeston…and a dire defeat for Martin Wilkinson’s Blues.
The headline says it all after United's horror show at Ilkeston _(Image: News & Star)_
**TORQUAY UNITED 1-0 CARLISLE UNITED – January 8, 2011**
A sour day on the English Riviera. United were by 2010/11 a competitive League One side, but they weren’t at Torquay. A sterile display by Greg Abbott’s injury-hit side saw them dumped out of the FA Cup by the Gulls from a division down, Carlisle’s display at Plainmoor notable for a solitary appearance from the lesser-spotted Marco Gbarssin but very little else.
Torquay's Eunan O'Kane fires past United's Adam Collin _(Image: Barbara Abbott)_
**CHATHAM TOWN 1-0 CARLISLE UNITED – January 10, 2025**
If mitigation is put forward with the argument that Carlisle fielded a fringe side in many places in Kent, the riposte comes by realising that many in the United XI were first-team players of some experience and reputation, and still they could not overcome hosts from the Isthmian League Premier Division. The FA Trophy was never any kind of priority for the Blues in 2025/26 but nor was being humbled by Chatham. A dark enough day, then.
Matty MacArthur's free-kick ended Carlisle's interest in the FA Trophy _(Image: Richard Parkes)_