# 1999–2000 Carlisle United F.C. season

During the 1999–2000 English football season, Carlisle United Football Club competed in the Football League Third Division where they finished in 23rd position narrowly avoiding relegation to the Football Conference by goal difference.

## Season summary

Manager Nigel Pearson was sacked shortly after the end of the previous season, with chairman Michael Knighton publicly blaming the previous season's relegation battle on the 35-year-old's inexperience, and replacing him with Martin Wilkinson; an experienced coach, but one whose managerial experience only consisted of a short spell in charge of Peterborough United over a decade prior.
The change initially seemed to work well and produced a promising start to the season, only for this to be followed by a dismal run of just two wins in twenty-six attempts, plunging them straight into yet another fight against relegation. For the second season in a row, relegation to the Conference was avoided on the final day; while Carlisle lost their last game, Chester City also lost theirs, allowing Carlisle to survive by virtue of two goals. Ultimately, Carlisle's taking maximum points from their two fixtures over Chester would prove key to their survival; had they taken anything less than all six points from those two matches, Chester would have stayed in the Football League at their expense.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 20 | York City | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 39 | 53 | −14 | 52 | |
| 21 | Exeter City | 46 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 46 | 72 | −26 | 44 | |
| 22 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 40 | 67 | −27 | 40 | |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 42 | 75 | −33 | 39 | |
| 24 | Chester City (R) | 46 | 10 | 9 | 27 | 44 | 79 | −35 | 39 | Relegation to Football Conference |

## Results

Carlisle United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Division Three

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 7 August 1999 | Leyton Orient | H | 2–1 | 3,895 | Tracey 21', Soley 69' |
| 2 | 14 August 1999 | Swansea City | A | 0–1 | 5,452 | |
| 3 | 21 August 1999 | Hartlepool United | H | 0–3 | 4,033 | |
| 4 | 28 August 1999 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–1 | 2,138 | Baker 37' |
| 5 | 30 August 1999 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–2 | 2,863 | Tracey 41', 75', Black 44', Baker 47' |
| 6 | 4 September 1999 | Northampton Town | A | 0–0 | 4,864 | |
| 7 | 11 September 1999 | Lincoln City | H | 1–0 | 3,254 | Tracey 59' |
| 8 | 18 September 1999 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–4 | 2,393 | Soley 45' |
| 9 | 25 September 1999 | Halifax Town | A | 2–5 | 2,545 | Tracey 10', Gregory 76' |
| 10 | 2 October 1999 | Southend United | H | 1–1 | 2,800 | Clark 20' |
| 11 | 9 October 1999 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 0–1 | 3,059 | |
| 12 | 16 October 1999 | Exeter City | A | 1–1 | 3,012 | Dobie 85' |
| 13 | 19 October 1999 | Darlington | A | 1–3 | 5,016 | Harries 77' |
| 14 | 23 October 1999 | Halifax Town | H | 1–1 | 2,593 | Dobie 55' |
| 15 | 2 November 1999 | York City | H | 0–1 | 2,512 | |
| 16 | 6 November 1999 | Cheltenham Town | A | 1–3 | 3,118 | Dobie 18' |
| 17 | 12 November 1999 | Peterborough United | H | 1–1 | 2,515 | Dobie 8' |
| 18 | 23 November 1999 | Barnet | A | 0–3 | 1,769 | |
| 19 | 27 November 1999 | Rotherham United | H | 0–1 | 2,649 | |
| 20 | 4 December 1999 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–0 | 3,871 | Pitts 83' |
| 21 | 14 December 1999 | Torquay United | H | 0–0 | 2,028 | |
| 22 | 18 December 1999 | Hull City | A | 1–2 | 4,727 | Tracey 90' |
| 23 | 26 December 1999 | Rochdale | H | 1–2 | 3,812 | Durnin 16' |
| 24 | 28 December 1999 | Macclesfield Town | A | 1–2 | 2,836 | Tracey 62' |
| 25 | 3 January 2000 | Chester City | H | 4–1 | 4,565 | Dobie 2', 51', Harries 71', Prokas 90' |
| 26 | 8 January 2000 | Torquay United | A | 1–4 | 2,112 | Soley 49' |
| 27 | 22 January 2000 | Hartlepool United | A | 0–1 | 3,530 | |
| 28 | 29 January 2000 | Mansfield Town | H | 0–2 | 2,501 | |
| 29 | 5 February 2000 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 4,009 | |
| 30 | 19 February 2000 | Rotherham United | A | 2–4 | 4,271 | Halliday 43', Soley 69' |
| 31 | 26 February 2000 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–1 | 3,105 | Halliday 46' |
| 32 | 4 March 2000 | Lincoln City | A | 0–5 | 2,945 | |
| 33 | 11 March 2000 | York City | A | 1–1 | 2,979 | Halliday 60' |
| 34 | 18 March 2000 | Barnet | H | 3–1 | 2,606 | Soley 29', Halliday 42', 51' |
| 35 | 21 March 2000 | Peterborough United | A | 2–0 | 5,178 | Durnin 38', 62' |
| 36 | 25 March 2000 | Rochdale | A | 2–3 | 2,417 | Soley 14', 71' (2 pen) |
| 37 | 28 March 2000 | Swansea City | H | 2–0 | 2,748 | Searle 37', Halliday 59' |
| 38 | 1 April 2000 | Hull City | H | 0–4 | 3,495 | |
| 39 | 4 April 2000 | Cheltenham Town | H | 1–1 | 2,388 | Soley 89' |
| 40 | 8 April 2000 | Chester City | A | 1–0 | 5,507 | Dobie 90' |
| 41 | 11 April 2000 | Northampton Town | H | 0–1 | 2,855 | |
| 42 | 15 April 2000 | Macclesfield Town | H | 0–1 | 3,047 | |
| 43 | 22 April 2000 | Exeter City | H | 0–0 | 3,567 | |
| 44 | 24 April 2000 | Southend United | A | 0–2 | 3,053 | |
| 45 | 29 April 2000 | Darlington | H | 1–1 | 6,525 | Halliday 38' |
| 46 | 6 May 2000 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–1 | 5,998 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 10 August 1999 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | 3,000 | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 21 August 1999 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–6 | 2,696 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 30 October 1999 | Ilkeston Town | A | 1–2 | 1,321 | Harries 18' |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R2 | 25 January 2000 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–1 | 1,748 | Pitts 32', Soley 39' |
| Quarter final | 22 February 2000 | Hartlepool United | A | 2–1 | 2,399 | Halliday 13', McKinnon 51' |
| Semi final | 7 March 2000 | Rochdale | H | 0–1 | 1,792 | |

## Squad

Appearances for competitive matches only
| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Football League Trophy | Football League Trophy | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| MF | Graham Anthony | 12(6) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15(8) | 0 |
| FW | Paul Baker | 12(5) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12(5) | 2 |
| DF | Billy Barr | 28(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31(2) | 0 |
| MF | Tommy Black | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| DF | Rob Bowman | 12(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(3) | 0 |
| DF | David Brightwell | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| DF | Peter Clark | 42(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46(1) | 1 |
| MF | Adrian Clarke | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| MF | Paul Dalton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Andy Dibble | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | Scott Dobie | 25(9) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29(9) | 7 |
| MF | John Durnin | 20(2) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21(1) | 3 |
| MF | Andrew Gregory | 6(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 6(2) | 1 |
| FW | Stephen Halliday | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 8 |
| FW | Paul Harries | 6(14) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 7(15) | 3 |
| MF | Tony Hopper | 25(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 28(3) | 0 |
| MF | John Hore | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | Michael Ingham | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| GK | Peter Keen | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | Rob McKinnon | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| DF | Matthew Pitts | 20(9) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 24(9) | 2 |
| DF | Richard Prokas | 20(7) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 24(8) | 1 |
| DF | Paul Reid | 17(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20(2) | 0 |
| MF | Andy Roddie | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 |
| MF | Damon Searle | 14(7) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19(7) | 1 |
| MF | Gavin Skelton | 1(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(6) | 0 |
| FW | Steve Skinner | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| MF | Steve Soley | 35(2) | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 39(2) | 9 |
| DF | Shaun Teale | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| MF | Jeff Thorpe | 4(9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(11) | 0 |
| FW | Richard Tracey | 25(11) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 29(12) | 7 |
| FW | Andy Walker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Luke Weaver | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| DF | Stuart Whitehead | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| GK | Peter van der Kwaak | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |