“The 1.30pm kick-off doesn’t help, but I think we will still be looking at pushing 20,000”
Carlisle fan Lewis Ridley joins us for a chat ahead of Sunday’s showdown
Tuesday 23 May 2023 - WEMBLEY WEEK!
🎶 Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, we’re going to Wem-ber-lee, que sera sera 🎶
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and any Carlisle supporters joining us today, a very warm welcome to WEMBLEY WEEK on The Scarf My Father Wore!
Today we’re spending a little bit of time in the Carlisle camp, as Lewis Ridley shares his thoughts ahead of the Cumbrians’ fifth trip to Wembley.
A big thank you to Anthony at APL Locksmiths for sponsoring today’s edition. Contact details are below which might come in handy if you get locked out of your house on Sunday night after drinking celebratory cocktails in Notion till 4am…
FIVE SLEEPS TO GO! 💤💤💤💤💤
Des Junior
PS) All subscribers should have received an email on Monday morning about one of the Wembley features we’re publishing every day this week. We’re still looking for a few more contributions to include over the next five days if you’d like to pop something across. Cheers, thank you!
Off to Wembley we go. How many do you think you’ll take? With no other clubs on your doorstep, you can usually attract big numbers for games like this at Wembley can’t you?
We can, yes, although nobody needs reminding how far away from almost everywhere Carlisle is. The 1.30pm kick-off on a Sunday doesn’t help matters and everyone is having to be quite creative to get down there, but I think we will still be looking at pushing 20,000.
What's your plans for the weekend?
We’re heading down on Saturday, so we’ll be up and about early doors and making our way to The Green Man. It should be a really good atmosphere with two brilliant sets of supporters who have a fair amount of respect for each other; I really can’t wait to get amongst it.
You're in your maroon kit on Sunday. Are there any jinxes/good omens/superstitions we should know about, or are you not really that arsed?
Barring some quirks, I think every team would prefer to wear their home kit in a final. With us being the “home” team, I presumed we’d be in blue and you in white, but it doesn’t really matter for me. We’ve only just stopped going on about how our kit is too dark actually, but that’s a different argument.
Who would you have rather faced in the final – County or Salford?
County, for me. Salford are probably the best footballing side I’ve seen at Brunton Park this season, and Wembley would have really suited them. Also, it’s just going to be a far better occasion with two proper football clubs battling it out. I think we all have similar opinions of them lot.
You lost 1-0 away from home in the first leg of the semi-final, before late drama on your own turf to reach Wembley. That sounds rather familiar. How was it for you?
The game down in Bradford was positive, because it could’ve gone either way. We were happy to be returning home with just one goal in it, knowing we played well and caused them issues.
The second leg, looking back, was an incredible performance. It didn’t feel like it at the time, with the emotion of it all, but we dominated all afternoon and gave them very few chances. We were deserving winners, no doubt, and after those scenes on the pitch at full-time, you wouldn’t bet against us in the final.
With County experiencing a winning penalty shootout in the semi-final, does that give us any sort of advantage if it goes all the way at Wembley?
I think it can work both ways. Maybe it will, or maybe you’ve used your luck. We were discussing potential penalty takers amongst ourselves at the weekend and I’d be confident we have enough if it does go the distance, and I wouldn’t fancy trying to beat big Tomas Holy from the spot.
How’s Paul Simpson regarded up in Cumbria?
In football it can be easy to put individuals on pedestals, and it rarely works out well in the long run, but it’s difficult to understate how important he is to our success this year. Simmo was already a hero after back-to-back promotions in 2004-05 and 2005-06 to take us from the Conference to League One, but this turnaround has arguably been even more surprising. In February last year, the club were badly disconnected from the supporters and for the past five years had relied on the managerial tombola with very little success. That changed almost overnight with his return.
Even if we had experienced the successful season we have this year, without him in the dugout, we wouldn’t have seen the attendances and engagement we have. He’s a fantastic manager, a top bloke and one of our own. The supporters love him, the players love him, Cumbria loves him. He couldn’t really be regarded any higher.
Simpson came across really well in that video in the changing room, just after you’d reached Wembley, as he thanked Ben Barclay for his efforts. Speaking of Ben, what’s the mood like with him not being able to play in the final?
Over the course of the season, there have been a few players who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have been starters who have had to step up due to injuries and suspensions. Ben is one of them, as is Corey Whelan, who took a few games to settle but has been tremendous during the run-in.
Looking at that video, you can see how much Simmo and the rest of the lads value Ben’s efforts. We’re all gutted for him too, particularly having got the winner on Saturday to get us to Wembley. We’d love to see him back in a Carlisle shirt next season, playing in League One.
How’s Kristian Dennis got on for Carlisle this season? I won’t lie, when it comes to County’s record with former players over the years, I’m very uncomfortable with the fact you’ve got an ex-Hatter in your ranks who’s scored 21 goals this season. Although he was on the bench for both legs of the semi-final wasn’t he?
He’s had a strange season, actually. Everyone knows how well he did in the first half of the campaign, scoring goals for fun, but as the season has progressed we’ve mixed it up a bit. The arrival of Joe Garner has given us another option, and Ryan Edmondson has been terrific too. With John-Kymani Gordon and Omari Patrick, we’ve got a few different combinations we can go with depending on the opponents, so he hasn’t been the first name on the team sheet quite like his stats suggest he should be. No doubt about it, though, he’s a massive part of how we’ve got to where we are.
And finally, who’s going up…
I think it will be a tight game, not like the ding-dong we had at Brunton Park in April. I can see it going to extra time, too. I’ll go for 1-1 in normal time and another Carlisle win after an additional 30 minutes. 2-1.
Save this number now - 07712 657585 - because some County fans will definitely lose their keys on Sunday night (if we win…)
As you’ll know, we regularly like to have a laugh and a joke on The Scarf My Father Wore, but we’re here to provide a service for the serious matters as well. If County win promotion on Sunday, some supporters are definitely going to lose their keys in the celebrations that follow.
No need to worry, just pop this number into your contacts now, and you’re all sorted in case the worst does happen. The number is for Anthony at APL Locksmiths, a Heaton Chapel-based company providing mobile, domestic, commercial and automotive locksmith services, as well as key cutting and lock sales from their shop on Wellington Road North.
Try not to lose your keys attempting to invade the pitch at Wembley, or diving on Challinor and the lads when you bump into them at the services on the way home, or throwing shapes on the dance floor at Bask, but if you do, give Anthony a call and he’ll have you sorted in no time.
Visit apllocksmiths.co.uk for further details.
Photo of the day
Ibiza
Just weeks after celebrating together on the final day of the 2005-06 season at Edgeley Park (County safe, Carlisle champions), Hatters and Cumbrians continued the party during an incredible week in Ibiza, when both clubs were invited to take part in a pre-season tournament on the island.
Today in SK
☕️ How do you fancy a nice iced cappuccino today? Head down to Coffee Block (SK1) for their CUBO espresso over ice, filled with shaken milk and topped with chocolate! Open till 5.30pm.
🍹 The Armoury (SK3) have just launched their new cocktail menu. Mark Stott definitely wouldn’t mind a Red Wine Cobbler, and Lee Todd’s going to be getting stuck into a Lounge Lizard or two. There’s eight cocktails to try in total; head down today to see which one tickles your tastebuds!
🍺 Fancy a few midweek drinks tonight? The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have a great range of offers throughout the week, including £4.50 for drinks off the Doubles Bar, a comprehensive range of shots for £2, and 3 for £6 on Jägerbombs.
The Scarf My Father Wore works closely with venues on a daily basis to bring you the most comprehensive guide to all of the best offers and events taking place across the whole SK region. Click on the links below for full details of everything taking place in your area over the next few weeks.
SK1 / SK2 / SK3 / SK4 / SK5 / SK6 / SK7 / SK8 / SK9 / SK10 / SK11 / SK12 / SK13 / SK14 / SK15 / SK16 / SK17 / SK22 / SK23
ChatGPT’s Wembley build-up: Part 2 - Carlisle
Never mind Google or Yell.com, we’ve got you covered
STOP! That got your attention, didn’t it? Just a quick one… I’d hazard a guess that at some point in May, all of our readers will use Google or Yell.com at some point looking for a particular product or service. But before you do, please have a quick look at our own directory to see if we have what you’re looking for. A number of great businesses support The Scarf My Father Wore, allowing us to publish fresh content every day, so let’s send a few enquiries their way in return.
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“I quite like Sheffield Wednesday but I’m indifferent to the others”
As part of WEMBLEY WEEK, we’ve emailed seven questions to our subscribers, and we’ll choose a different one each day this week, hearing the thoughts of a number of our readers.
Today’s question: Out of the other five clubs at Wembley this weekend, who’s your favourite, and who’s your least favourite?
I quite like Sheffield Wednesday but I’m indifferent to the others.
Tony Joannou
Favourite: Wednesday. I have to say that for family reasons. Least favourite: Carlisle. Absolute shithole (sorry).
Josh Cooper