While thousands of Carlisle United fans will be taking the long and winding road from Cumbria to London this weekend, a smaller group of diehards can look forward to a far shorter trek to see their heroes – for once.
The Carlisle United Supporters Club London branch can take a walk up Wembley way with hours to spare on Sunday, instead of making their usual five hour trek up the M6 for most home games at Brunton Park.
As the group’s late, great member Mick Mitchell once said: ‘There’s only a few of us, but we get everywhere!’
Mick’s motto, rather like Carlisle United itself, is a self effacing one and doesn’t tell half the story.
The branch boasts members from Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides to Jersey in the Channel Isles and all points in between.
Add to that Norway, USA, Netherlands, Canada, and a veritable “twig” of members in France, and you can see why football is such a beautiful game.
The “few” actually consists of more than 300 members and they expect to meet well over a 100 of these at the supporters club in London, while meeting others at Wembley including a mini bus full from Derbyshire and fans from the North, Yorkshire, Bristol and the South West.
As if all that wasn’t enough diehard member Des Cass is also the president of the London Master Decorators’ Association, and swears by Johnstone’s Paint!
Information officer Dave Brown said: “It surprises many of the home based Carlisle fans how many fans the London branch has.
“In previous finals we have travelled to the game by coach and last year by the famous Red Routemaster double-decker.
“This year we have chosen to break with tradition and travel en-masse by tube. We couldn’t face the final hour that it often takes to get the last three miles to Wembley by road and instead will have the pleasure of walking up Wembley Way to the famous arch.”
The supporters club is a testament to both Carlisle United Football Club itself and a legacy of honest, honourable supporters who have followed their team – come thick and thin – for generations.
As Wembley finals go (all of which attended by the branch), members have been dealt a fair few thin moments, but near misses from yesteryear aren’t dampening spirits.
Dave added: “So Wembley comes again and this time we will win. Past legends Peter Beardsley and Billy Rafferty said so. Who are we to disagree? We can’t wait - roll on April 3.”
For more information about the Carlisle United Supporters Club London branch click here or email here.
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