Carlisle United vs Charlton Athletic

Matchday 18 marked the commencement of a thrilling sequence of four matches within an eight-day span. Our journey took us north, all the way to Carlisle United, who played host to Charlton Athletic—a club with a Premier League history dating back to 2007.

This fixture carried an extra layer of excitement as Carlisle United had recently undergone a change in ownership. The Castle Sports Group, owned by the Piatak family from Jacksonville, Florida, USA, now steered the ship.

Given the considerable distance and the fact that our beloved Liverpool FC clashed with Manchester City on TV, we set out early to make the most of the day. A pitstop at Tim Hortons for breakfast kicked off our adventure, followed by a direct Avanti West Coast train journey to Carlisle. A minor glitch on the train caused a brief delay, but we arrived only 8 minutes behind schedule.

Armed with Google Maps, a 20-minute stroll to the ground awaited us. The vibrant fan zone outside Carlisle United hinted at a grand welcome for the Piatak Family, complete with a giant TV screening the Liverpool game to draw in the early crowd.

Despite pre-booking a table at a local pub called the Beehive, we opted to watch the Liverpool game there, considering the chilly outdoor temperature. Photos were taken, and Liam captured moments for his VLOG before we headed to the club shop.

In the club shop, we added a lovely matchday scarf and a small souvenir program to our growing collection. Exiting the shop, we snagged a free Carlisle United foam finger before settling into the bustling pub. Despite the busy atmosphere, the staff were exceptional, keeping the place tidy and working tirelessly. Kudos to all!

Post-match, we made our way to the ground with less than 30 minutes until kick-off. The crowd at the limited turnstiles was overwhelming, raising questions about the planning around the big screen outside the ground. Despite the security concerns, ground staff managed the situation well, and everyone entering had a valid ticket.

Surprisingly, there were no security checks on bags, a notable omission given the significance of the match and recent ownership changes.

Amidst the massive crowds, we secured our seats in time for the game, and free flags adorned every seat, enhancing the party atmosphere.

This turned out to be the best game in terms of atmosphere, with constant chants of “United” and “USA” (in reference to the American owners). Having already eaten at Tim Hortons and The Beehive, we refrained from purchasing anything inside the ground, relying on snacks packed by Mrs.

The game itself was a thrilling back-and-forth affair, ending in a 1-1 draw—predicting the score correctly beforehand added to the enjoyment.

Our plan to leave a few minutes early to catch the 1710 train hit a snag when we found out it was canceled at half-time. The next train at 1807 was 45 minutes late, allowing us to watch the full match at a more leisurely pace.

Exiting the stand post-match was challenging due to limited exits, and the wait for our delayed train was spent at a local Costa Coffee shop, treating Liam to his first “babycino.”

When the 1807 train finally arrived 56 minutes late, we were relieved but soon faced another hiccup. A fault in the air conditioning forced us to switch to another part of the train. Midway, an announcement revealed that our train would no longer stop at our station to make up for lost time. This was frustrating, leading to catching two more trains and reaching home over two hours late.

Despite the travel woes, we had a fantastic day, feeling privileged to be part of Carlisle’s special day. A warm welcome to the Piatak family, and we wish them success in leading Carlisle United into the future.

While we knew it would be a long day, the well-thought-out plan helped, despite the train issues. Matchday 19 awaits, taking us to the Kassam Stadium to watch Oxford United play Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday 28 November.