The goalkeeper who scored to save his team

ON the last day of the 1998-99 football season, Carlisle United’s on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored an injury-time goal to earn his team a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, which saved his team from relegation to the Nationwide Conference and also saw the club avoid possible liquidation.

Recalled Glass: “It was something players’ dream of I couldn’t believe it when the ball hit the back of the net”.

David Brightwell, who had earlier netted Carlisle’s equaliser, said: “It’s stupid, really but what a moment for the lads who played in that game. It was certainly one of the best moments in their careers and indeed mine.”

Just imagine for a second or two - had Carlisle not sold their regular ‘keeper Tony Caig five weeks earlier, Glass would not have been at Brunton Park, but back with his parent club Bournemouth!

On that final day of League action 20 seasons ago Carlisle were bottom of Division Three, a point worse off than 23rd placed Scarborough who had a home game with Peterborough. To have any chance of staying in the League, Carlisle had to win and hope than Scarborough drew or lost.

After a goalless first-half, Plymouth stunned Carlisle by taking the lead in the 49th minute through Lee Phillips. Then, following a mistake by Argyle’s Steve McCall, Brightwell equalised just past the hour mark. Game on.

Thereafter, it was nervous tension all around Brunton Park as Carlisle huffed and puffed, kicked and scrapped to grab a vital winning goal, while at the same time fellow relegation-strugglers Scarborough

were being held by Peterborough. At this point Carlisle knew they had to WIN.

Then, it all happened. Two minutes into added time, Carlisle won a corner.

Graham Anthony’s flag kick was met by Carlisle striker

Scott Dobie whose header was palmed out by Argyle ‘keeper James Dungey - straight into the path of Glass, who had raced up field. Swinging his right boot, Glass sent the ball flying into the net. Wow - the ground erupted and 7,500 Carlisle

barmpots went crackers.

Glass was swamped by his team-mates and spectators alike. It was an amazing finish to a very tense game of football.

Carlisle had won and so finished one point (49-48) and one place above Scarborough. They had avoided demotion to the Conference by the skin of their Cumbrian teeth and their 71-year stay in the Football League was duly extended.

■ Glass later spoke of his tarnished love affair with the game, destined to be regarded as a ‘circus act’ rather than serious goalkeeper, leaving the professional game two years after his headline act. He talked about his gambling habits and his mental health, but that’s all behind him and since 2016 he’s enjoyed his role as player liaison officer at Bournemouth.