Looking back on Carlisle United’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Triumph ten years on

The third of April 2021 marks ten years since Carlisle United won the then called “Johnstone’s Paint Trophy’ final at Wembley, realistically, United’s last success.

The Cumbrians have since dropped into the depths of League Two, with the very real threat of non-league football, but Manager Chris Beech has since started a resurgence this season.

At the time of the final United were a very competent League One side with Greg Abbot at the helm; Abbot’s side beat now established Championship sides such as Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Brentford on the way to the trophy. These sides have had very contrasting fortunes since then with Huddersfield having a stint in the Championship and Brentford making the playoffs.

Both teams had already faced each other home and away that season with Carlisle winning the first game two goals to nil at Brunton Park, but in the return fixture, it was Brentford who took the points thanks to a Jeffrey Schlupp double.

In the previous season’s final, Carlisle were at the wrong end of a four-one thrashing to a Southampton team filled with plenty of future Premier League stars such as Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Michail Antonio. Peter Murphy, Carlisle United’s Irish defender, played the part of the villain as he stupidly handled the ball to give Southampton an early penalty; the game was one-way traffic from then on.

It would be a very different outcome for Murphy and United a year later.

Both teams travelled to Wembley confident and seemed very evenly matched. 40,476 fans travelled to the home of football, hoping to see their team finally grasp a bit of success which is very limited at the lower levels.

The Brentford team that started the game were as follows: Moore, Woodman (O’Connor 88), Osbourne, Neilson, Legge, Saunders, Weston (Grabban 78), Diagouraga, Reed (Been 46), Alexander and Schlupp. Substitutes that day for the Bees were: Carson, Bean, O’Connor, Byrne and Grabban. Brentford were managed by caretaker and club Legend, Nicky Forster.

The Carlisle United for the final was as follows: Collin, Simek, Murphy, Michalík, Robson, Thirlwell, Taiwo (Loy 88), Berrett, Zoko (Madden 67), Marshall (Noble 23) and Curran. Substitutes were as follows: Caig, Livesey, Noble, Loy and Madden. Carlisle were managed by Coventry born, Greg Abbott.

Overall, the game was a very dull affair with very few clear-cut chances. It was the previous season’s villain, Peter Murphy whose clever volley was the difference between the two sides.

Ivorian forward Francois Zoko had forced an early corner when Ben Marshall got down the left flank to cross, but Simon Moore displayed cat-like agility, to turn the ball away for a corner. It was from the resulting corner that Murphy got his coveted goal.

Taking Zoko’s flick-on expertly, with his quadricep, Murphy hit an arching volley across Moore to break the deadlock. The one time Irish International, ran away cradling his arms in tribute to his newly born Son and Partner who were in attendance, despite the birth only occurring on the previous Friday.

Brentford pushed intensely, for the equaliser, despite the best efforts of Sam Saunders, Gary Alexander and Jeffrey Schlupp. The Bees anxiety for a vital goal finally got the better of them when Diagouraga was sent off for two late fouls which saw him become the first man to be sent off in a Football League Trophy final.

Paul Thirlwell and the rest of the Cumbrian’s climbed the fabled steps to collect United’s second Football League Trophy in-front of their well-travelled faithful. Some say this was Carlisle’s last glorious day in the sun.

Where are they now? Looking back at Carlisle United’s starting line-up from that final

Adam Collin – Released by United in the summer of 2013, Collin moved on to Rotherham, where he helped them get promoted to the Championship with a dramatic penalty save. He was the first choice for most of the next season but fell out of favour in his third year going out on loan to Aberdeen. He re-joined the Cumbrians in 2018 after a spell at Notts County. Collin departed for a second time to move on to Kettering Town this season.

Frank Simek – A very good right-back, the American suffered an upper-body injury at the end of the season which ruled him out for five months of 2011-12 season. He left United in 2013 and it is unclear where he ended up after leaving the Blues.

Peter Murphy – The hero of the final, Murphy was released in the summer of 2013 after playing 417 games for the Cumbrians. He later joined the exciting Celtic Nation who had big aspirations, but financial issues meant that the club folded. Murphy went on to have spells at Ayr United and then more locally Annan Athletic, where he now manages.

L’ubomír (Lubo) Michalík – The huge six-foot-five Slovakian defender, was a fantastic servant for the Cumbrians playing 68 games for the club. Mostly remembered for his wonder strike away to Hartlepool United, Lubo left Carlisle in 2012 to sign for Portsmouth. After a short spell at Pompey, he left to play for Kairat Almaty in Kazakstan before moving back to his native Slovakia, where he’s starting his second spell with clinic Sered’.

Matty Robson – A high-quality utility man with a venomous free-kick, Robson spent the majority of his career with the Cumbrians from 2009 to 2015 making 172 appearances and scoring 20 goals. After a spell on loan at Gateshead, he joined Shildon AFC where he’s been ever since.

Paul Thirlwell – Captain on that special day, Thirlwell was another dedicated member of the squad making 228 appearances for the Cumbrians. He left to join Harrogate Town in 2015 and is now their assistant manager.

Tom Taiwo – A tenacious midfielder, Taiwo was only one game away from making it a century of appearances for Carlisle. He joined Hibernian in 2012 and had a fairly successful career in Scotland, playing in the 2015 Scottish Final for Falkirk. Taiwo moved on to Hamilton in 2018 but had to retire at the age of 29 due to injury.

James Berrett – A graceful and goal-scoring midfielder, Berrett was a key cog in the wheel over Abbott’s tenure. He left United in 2015 and went on to play for various lower league team’s, before signing for Grantham in 2019 whom he still turns out for, despite a failed move to Buxton in the summer he returned to the Lincolnshire side.

François Zoko – Unplayable in League One on his day Zoko tortured many a defence. He moved to Notts County in 2012 and played for a few other lower league clubs before becoming player-coach at Newark in 2020.

Ben Marshall – Marshall suffered a broken leg in the final, but this did not stop him having the most notable career out of the United team from that game. Marshall went on to a have an impressive career, playing regularly in the Championship with teams such as Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sadly, his career faltered after a short spell with Norwich City in 2019 and he now plays for Stoneclough FC in the 12^th tier of English Football.

Craig Curran – A Scouse striker who struggled for goals at the Cumbrians, he’s had a very varied career since leaving in 2012; playing in the Republic of Ireland for Limerick, Scotland with Ross County and both Dundee clubs and is now with Connah’s Quay Nomads in Wales. Curran found some success in Scotland and is now a regular goal scorer in Wales.

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