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The Day We Went To Arsenal

The Day We Went To Arsenal

The Day We Went To Arsenal

30/08/2026 by Martin Daley

In 1951, tiny Carlisle United, from the Third Division North played the biggest game in their brief history when they were drawn to play the mighty Arsenal in the Third Round of the FA Cup. It was an event that has gone down in Carlisle folklore. The tie caught the imagination of the whole city and seven trainloads of fans travelled down to London to see their team take on the Cup holders. The tie transcended a sporting event and became a key chapter in Carlisle’s social post-war history as, incredibly, the Blues played out an honourable draw and brought the Gunners back to Brunton Park. United’s charismatic manager was a little-known Scot called Bill Shankly. His unswerving self-belief rubbed off on the whole city who dared to dream of the biggest cup upset in history.

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  • Martin Daley - writer profile

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