Millen, Holdsworth and Simpson: Another crazy week in the world of Carlisle United

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Last week will go down as one of the most hectic periods in Carlisle United’s history.

It has been a pretty awful season for the Cumbrians.

The belief around the city was that United was doomed, facing certain relegation to the dark place of the National League and likely never to return, but a set of decisions saw stark change in the mood around the club.

Thoughts strayed to the possible end of the whole club.

Rumours had circulated since Carlisle’s loss to Swindon Town on February 19th that Keith Millen was thinking about leaving the club and those behind the scenes were actively looking for a replacement.

Those rumours came to fruition four days later when the club announced Millen left via mutual consent.

The former Crystal Palace coach seemed to have good ideas, but he failed to change a losing team’s fortunes around, so ultimately, he had to go.

Evidently, United alluded to the possibility that a new manager had already been recruited, saying that assistant manager Gavin Skelton would take the day’s training session.

However, before the Cumbrians could appoint a new boss, the shocking decision that the much-loathed Director of Football, David Holdsworth had left by mutual consent.

In an official statement on the club’s website, it read:

“As part of a restructure of the football department David Holdsworth has today stepped down from his position as the club’s director of football…

“The role of director of football will not be replaced going forward.”

Holdsworth was seen as a bit of a chancer by fans with a poor record elsewhere and the three appointments he was involved in during his time at Carlisle all failed.

The former Lincoln City manager was brought in as someone to oversee the cost-cutting exercise to help replenish the funds spent during Keith Curle’s costly and underachieving reign.

It was never going to be a success and Holdsworth soon picked up some unfortunate nicknames due to his disappearances when things did not go well at United.

Huge relief spread around the Cumbrians fan base and this seemed like a move that would give a little more freedom to the club, freeing up a sizeable salary.

Then, not long after the announcement, a name was bandied about Carlisle with hints of the return of a man who could unify the club at this uncertain time.

That man was Paul Simpson, the last manager to gain promotion with the Cumbrians and an all-time local hero.

United are at the point where they needed someone who genuinely cares about the fortunes of the club, and the manager, known as affectionately as ‘Simmo’, was unexpectedly put in place until the end of the season.

Jubilation filtered through the various social media sites and online forums as everyone was of the opinion that Carlisle’s board of directors had got this appointment right.

Inspired by the return of the much-loved boss, United went on to beat Leyton Orient 1-0 away from home, backed by 700 passionate Carlisle fans.

Finally, the Cumbrians might start to do things properly again and escape what seemed a probable relegation out of the Football League.

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