May 2001
What, no last day drama??
me!
me!
Like 1,000 others, I made the trip to Lincoln for the match on 2 May 2001. Also, like many others, it was not my first attempt to get there! I had been on one of the buses the previous week. It was a long bus ride down and back, but it was worth it! As you can see in the picture above, I enjoyed the evening ;-)
And so, for once, we could relax on the last day of the season! However, before the match against Hull City we had the launch meeting for CCUIST.
The launch was attended by over 1,000 people and has been reported to have been the largest launch meeting for a Supporters' Trust so far. The event consisted of an outline of the aims of the Trust, the history behind Supporters' Trusts and key speeches.
On the CCUIST website it is stated:
One of its main purposes will be to increase the influence of the community in the running of the football club. Formed as an Industrial and Provident Society under the Government's "Supporters Direct" scheme, it aims to acquire a shareholding in the company which owns Carlisle United and elect at least one supporters' director to the Board.
Although I am not directly connected to CCUIST, I feel this could be a real opportunity for CUFC fans to make a difference and I urge all fans to visit the website and read it all. This will answer a lot of your initial questions.
I personally think that £5 for membership of the trust is a small price to pay for being part of this. In addition, donations of whatever you can afford to the share fund would be useful. I personally am making a regular payment into this fund.
Some people have expressed concerns about money going to Knighton. However, reading the website it does say:
That the funds are introduced into the club in such a way that there are binding legal assurances to the effect that the money can only be used for the benefit of the club and can not pass to its owners whoever they might be.
Many of us will also remember Michael Knighton's comments after the Stephen Brown fiasco that he would consider giving away the shares that Mr Brown was going to buy. Perhaps someone at CCUIST could remind Mr Knighton of that comment.
CCUIST will only work if we all get involved.
The last game of the season was, for once, a relaxing affair. In fact, it is the earliest pre-season friendly I can remember attending !-) It was only marred by the actions of a few. Despite constant requests not to, several hundred fans (unsurprisingly) invaded the pitch after the final whistle. This is forgiven. What cannot be forgiven was their bone-headed refusal to leave the pitch despite constant pleas to do so by the club, the stewards, the police and even most of the crowd. There was a massive cheer when a police dog took a bite out of one of the miscreants.
In summary, most CUFC fans now see the sky lightening to herald the arrival of the sun on the dawn of a new era after a long dark winter.
But finally, on 6 May 2001, Sky TV ran a vote on which goal was the ultimate Great Escape goal. Jimmy Glass won with 46% of the vote. There were 7 choices.
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