Unknown Legend; The Peter McLachlan Story - Part 2

Towards the end of the First Division season it became more obvious that things were not going well for me. I think the constant frustration of being told to play in the District League eventually wore me down and I also got angry when I knew that Workington wanted me on loan, and still Mr Ashman denied me the chance to play at a better standard.

The final straw for me came when we were relegated with several games still to play and still I was not given the chance to show what I could do in the first team. As the only local boy in the squad I had hoped that with nothing at stake I would have been given the green jersey at least once. And so, the inevitable happened, I was summoned to the manager's office to be told that my contract would not be renewed. I was free to find myself another club.

I wasn't surprised but I was sad my love affair with this club had ended with a sense of failure. I had been part of the best ever squad of players during the best ever season in its history and I remain extremely proud of that, however in pure playing and financial terms it had turned into a bit of a nightmare and in some respects I was pleased to be out of it and keen to move on.

One memorable thing happened to me at this time as I was asked to represent the club as part of the pre-match entertainment in a mile race at Wembley before the FA Cup final 1975. There were 16 competitors, one from each team in the last 16 of the seasons FA Cup. My wife and I were treated to a great weekend, all expenses paid. We were in the tunnel area as both team team coaches arrived and rubbed shoulders with all the players. Before the race we lined up in the tunnel and walked out just as the teams would do later and so I managed to experience that walk out on the pitch in front of 100,000 people, it was an amazing feeling.

The race itself was a killer as we didn't normally do mile races as footballers and it was extremely hot. I managed to get 3^rd place (and a touch of sunstroke!) and was presented with an England plaque and leather wallet by then England manager Don Revie (I still have both items).

I didn't have to wait long for things to work themselves out as I returned to my old job in a local factory and then I was contacted by Morecambe FC with a view to signing semi-pro forms with them. Alan Spavin was their new manager, he had come from Washington Diplomats in the American soccer league and one of his team mates was my ex CUFC mate Mike Barrie, who had told him I was available and recommended me as a prospect.

I signed for them and enjoyed the happiest period in my football career. Alan and I got on well from the start and it was no co-incidence that while I played for him I probably produced the best and most consistent goalkeeping of my career. I think this definitely proved to me that if someone you respect believes in and encourages you then you will respond in kind.

I had arrived at Morecambe bereft of confidence and a bit worried that I would disappoint the manager and directors. But it all worked out brilliantly and I was voted Player of the Year that first season. I had a great couple of seasons with Morecambe which included a memorable FA Cup match with the then leaders of the old 3^rd division Lincoln City, managed by a young Graham Taylor and then a short period with Sheffield United where I played alongside an ageing "jinking" Jimmy Johnstone.

Work pressures for me and mounting financial pressures for Morceambe meant that I didn't renew my contract with them at the end of season 77-78 at which time I signed for Carlisle City. They turned out to be the most professionally run "amateur" team I would ever play for. I had a great couple of years playing for Ginger Thompson in the Northern Alliance league.

My next club was Penrith FC. I only had one enjoyable season with them which ended with us representing Cumbria and winning the Northern Counties Trophy (I think for the first time in 75 years of trying). I had struggled with a knee injury for most of this season and so decided not to sign for anyone until it was sorted out. I had an operation in November 81.

During this time I had successfully applied for a job in Canada and so after I emigrated with my family in February 1982 I signed for Kitchener Olympic. My new boss just happened to be skipper of this team. Kitchener was the best semi-pro outfit in Ontario. We had a great season, winning three trophies including Bronze medal in the Canadian Championships held in Saskatoon Saskatchewan.

Unfortunately Canada slipped into a bad recession at this time and the company I worked for laid off all its workers so it was back home for me where I rejoined Carlisle City for the last month or so of season 82-83. The next season still with Carlisle City started off badly for me as, in the second game of the season, I suffered a severe fracture dislocation of my finger that meant I didn't play again until near the end of the season.

At the start of season 84-85 I was considering calling it a day when my friend Mally Burgess who was player manager at Netherfield FC asked me to sign for them. The club was in financial difficulties and so he was asking a few of his old mates to help out by playing alongside some promising youngsters. The target was to keep the club in the North West Counties league as long as possible.

We had a very interesting and enjoyable season full of ups and downs. We managed to finish above the drop zone which was mission accomplished. My good season was rewarded with the player of year award. I decided to call it a day because I wasn't prepared any more to put in all the travelling involved to play at the highest standard possible.

I wasn't quite finished though because over the next few years I found myself helping out old mates who had a temporary goalkeeping crisis so I ended up playing games for teams such as Netherfield, Cleator Moor Celtic, Workington, Penrith and Carlisle United. Ironically my last two competitive games were for CUFC in 1992 when at 40 years old I played for the reserves against Everton and Preston North End .

Looking back, I'm not sure what I would have done differently but, knowing what I know now, I would probably avoid the situation I found myself in at CUFC. I should have been more of a pain in the management's backside and insisted on a loan move to get into a higher standard of football to build up more confidence.

Since leaving CUFC I have worked for a couple of engineering companies one local and, as stated earlier, one in Canada. At time of writing I am employed as an Orthotics Technician at the Cumberland Infirmary, I have been here for 4 years since being made redundant in 2005.

I do still occasionally get recognised and asked by strangers if I am OK to play "cos the blues need a keeper" (this happened a bit last season!). I am also lead singer in a local Band "Locoweed". I have been with them about 5 years though we don't do too many gigs as it's more of a hobby than anything else. I have a daughter Joanne who is 37 years old now (I started young) and she wasn't particularly sporting, although she was quite a good swimmer. She is an extrovert like me and I think she is a dark horse when it comes to singing and has accompanied the band on one of the numbers we do.

Neil Nixon has written four books about Carlisle United, the most recent of which is Blueseason 2008/2009, Amazon link:

Blueseason 2008/2009