Story of the Blues - our Carlisle United nostalgia series (Image: News & Star)
Story of the Blues - our Carlisle United nostalgia series (Image: News & Star)
Carlisle United’s transfer movements, as the 1996/97 season grew closer, carried the usual intrigue but no hint, by late June, of the continental drama that was soon to unfold. This, it later turned out, was very much by design.
As Mervyn Day’s side prepared to adjust to life back in Division Three after the previous campaign’s relegation, Carlisle were openly linked with the 29-year-old Heart of Midlothian defender David Winnie, who joined up with the Blues on trial.
Another player attracting interest was pacy forward Kona Hislop, brother of Newcastle United’s Premier League goalkeeper Shaka, who was also with the Blues on a trial basis. In a friendly at Barrow, he scored one and set up two for Lee Peacock. “We will be having talks with him and seeing what his thoughts are,” said manager Day.
United’s other summer business had included the signing of former Barnsley and Celtic wing-back Owen Archdeacon, and as supporters prepared to return to Brunton Park for the next pre-season encounter with Kilmarnock, the expectation was that Carlisle’s build-up would otherwise take a relatively familiar shape.
Far from it, it turned out. For who was the rather large specimen in United’s defence that afternoon, wearing number five, named on the team-sheet as “Whately” and catching the eye quite considerably with a robust and impressive performance in Carlisle’s 1-0 victory?
Pounewatchy's appearance in a friendly against Kilmarnock attracted immediate intrigue (Image: News & Star)
The man in question was not, it soon turned out, anyone Whately, but none other than Stephane Zeusnagapa Pounewatchy, a French centre-back. His career had involved spells with clubs such as Sedan, Martigues and Gueugnon in his homeland – and while his first appearance in front of Carlisle fans was unavoidably compelling, the Blues opted to play down his initial impact.
“We were asked by an agent if this lad could have a game over here and we were able to provide a space in the team for him,” said Day. “He guested for us and that’s the top and bottom of it.”
The reality was much deeper than that, and things soon transpired in clearer fashion. The Kilmarnock game, in which Warren Aspinall scored the only goal, had not been as memorable for trialist Winnie, who went off injured before half-time, while Hislop was also denied another chance to impress because of a thigh strain. Neither would ultimately make further impression with the Blues.
All eyes, then, were on Pounewatchy, who received a warm ovation when he left the pitch after the game. Day, in the week after the friendly, refused to confirm whether the defender was still at the club, and Carlisle’s next game, at Workington Reds, took part without any involvement for Pounewatchy.
Pounewatchy was introduced to the crowd at a friendly against Stoke after signing a two-year deal (Image: News & Star)
The “mystery French ace”, though, remained a dream pre-season story – more so when Carlisle then dramatically signed the big defender. The 29-year-old was available on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling, which was then only two years old. United could therefore recruit Pounewatchy without a fee, yet it was reported that they had broken their wage structure in order to get their man.
“This is the biggest deal we have ever done,” declared chairman Michael Knighton. “A lot of clubs have been after him and, after he played for us against Kilmarnock, we have been locked away until the early hours of the morning talking to him.
“The Bosman ruling has actually helped us because we have signed a player who in France would cost around £500,000-600,000.”
Pounewatchy flanked by Michael Knighton, left, and Mervyn Day after signing for United
It was further reported that Pounewatchy had been recommended to Carlisle by an old university friend of Knighton, Paul Montgomery, who was scouring on a freelance basis for Coventry City and Derby County.
The defender, having returned home, flew back in from Paris to Newcastle and then travelled to Carlisle to seal the deal. He did not play in the next friendly, a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City, but was introduced to the crowd at half-time and was greeted enthusiastically by fans at Brunton Park.
“I’m very happy to be here – merci beaucoup,” he said over the microphone. He had signed a two-year contract and Carlisle were hoping for international clearance from the French Football Association in order to field Pounewatchy in their fourth tier opener at Doncaster Rovers.
Manager Day felt Pounewatchy was a “wonderful acquisition for a club of this size…this proves the chairman is still serious in his aims of taking the club as high as it can go in the short term. He has worked the oracle to get him.”
Pounewatchy, who helped Carlisle to a promotion and Wembley double, quickly became a cult hero (Image: News & Star)
Indeed so, for Pounewatchy had not initially been convinced. “My agent said to me that a team in the Third Division wanted to know me, but I said no. I said I don’t want to play for Carlisle,” he told the News & Star. “But I came to see the stadium and the team, then I met the manager, then I think it is right to come.
“In France I never saw a stadium at this level like the one here.”
Pounewatchy would, said Day, enhance his plan of playing with a system of three central defenders and wing-backs, operating a more footballing style than the “traditional crash, bang and wallop” of the lower leagues.
He got his next outing for United against Gala Fairydean, and then against Bolton Wanderers in a home friendly that marked the official opening of the new East Stand. Then it was off to Belle Vue, Pounewatchy’s clearance arriving in time for the Doncaster trip – and the new era beginning successfully, with a 1-0 opening day league win courtesy of Rory Delap’s goal.
Pounewatchy returned to Brunton Park in 2022 to play in a reunion game
A new era of headlines was also under way, since Carlisle’s new signing was variously described from there as “the French Prince,” United’s “Massif Central Defender” and, in trademark Carlisle style by columnist Roger Lytollis, “Pounewatchy, what a gadgey…”
Cult status was already, then, conferred – and, nine months later, with Carlisle promoted and winners at Wembley in the Auto-Windscreens Shield (where Stephane was man of the match), eternal Brunton Park affection was granted to the former mystery man – that mystery having long since cleared.