Hugh McIlmoyle became a legend at Carlisle, spending a total of 4 years and 5 months with the club, in three separate spells between March 1963 and May 1975.

He is affectionately remembered by many from that era as one of the best, if not the best, goalscorer the club has ever seen.

Born in Cambuslang on 29th January 1940, he grew up loving the beautiful game and learned his trade in the competitive Scottish Leagues with Port Glasgow. He soon gained a reputation as a fearless striker with a fearsome ability when heading the ball. By the time he was 19 he was already being courted by scouts from South of the border and took little persuading when offered a contract by Leicester City in the August of 1959. He quickly settled in as a regular first team squad member and was rewarded for his good performances with an appearance in the 1961 FA Cup Final.

A new challenge was needed (the time for a move had come) and Hughie found himself at Rotherham United winning over the home fans with his committed displays. It was in the March of 1963 that McIlmoyle's Cumbrian love affair was to begin. Carlisle were struggling at the foot of Division Three, Alan Ashman had just replaced Ivor Powell as manager, and a boost to morale was much needed. Ashman made the tall Scottish striker one of his first (and probably most astute) signings. Initial enquiries revealed that Rotherham would accept a bid of somewhere in the region of £7000 for the forward and the deal was soon struck. Hughie couldn't prevent the inevitable relegation and managed 7 goals in 17 appearances as the season ran to a close. It was little indication of what was to come.

In the 1963/64 season a Carlisle United legend was born. 113 goals were scored in the league by the team that season, with 39 of those coming from McIlmoyle. By Christmas The Blues were riding high, challenging for the Fourth Division Championship and scoring freely. Hughie's 30th goal of the season couldn't have come along in a sweeter manner. A Christmas holiday local derby against Workington Town and the popular hit man notched the first of a 3-1 winning score-line to take him to the thirty goal mark before the turn of the year. Defences became wise to McIlmoyle's strengths and Hughie could only manage a further 9 league goals in the New Year to take his season tally to 39 League goals. Add to that 5 FA Cup goals and 1 goal in the League Cup and it gave a combined total of 45 goals for the season. The likes of this had rarely been seen at any level, let alone at Brunton Park, and it helped the Cumbrians to second place behind Gillingham and promotion to Division Three at the first attempt.

The following season, 1964/65, could not have been a bigger contrast for Hughie. He scored in the opening game against Colchester, a strike that was to become his only league goal for United that season. He did notch 2 goals in the League Cup but the club found it impossible to ignore the offer made by Wolves in October 1964. £30,000 was too much to pass up. So ended the Scottish strikers first spell at the club.

Three years later, in September 1967, Alan Ashman ended his reign as Carlisle manager and was replaced by Tim Ward. Ward set out to achieve exactly what Ashman had managed 4 years earlier - he wanted McIlmoyle and was prepared to make him one of his first signings. Bristol City were contacted and an offer of £22,000 was tabled. McIlmoyle jumped at the opportunity to return to the Northern outpost and rekindle his love affair with the Blue Army, and signed within hours of being informed. 11 goals followed in 27 League appearances and United finished in a creditable mid-table position in Division Two.

Hughie played in all 42 League games in 1968/69 and also appeared in the 2 League Cup and 1 FA Cup games. In a team generally finding goalscoring difficult he failed to emulate his net busting feats of the 63/64 season, but he still managed to impress everyone with his commitment and ability - notching 17 League and 1 League Cup goal along the way. His name was almost certainly amongst the first to be written on the team sheet and he helped United to 12th in Division Two.

On September 24th 1969 Carlisle were playing Blackburn in the Second Round of the League Cup, but the Brunton Park crowd were more interested in the rumour that their adopted son was about to sign for Middlesborough for no less than £55,000. As the teams ran out onto the pitch, minus the tall Scot, the worst fears of United fans were realised. In 11 appearances at the start of the 69/70 season McIlmoyle had scored 5 goals and had attracted an offer that the board just could not ignore. His move to the North East was met with dismay as the end of a mutually enjoyable relationship had seemed to have come to an end.

The much travelled McIlmoyle was to return to Brunton Park for one last farewell. After spells with Preston and Morton the 34 year old was contacted by Alan Ashman, enjoying his second spell of management at the club. He was offered the chance of a one year contract and the chance to play in the countries highest Division. Hughie bit his hand off. Most people wish McIlmoyle had been a few years younger when this particular challenge arrived. To have had him at his prime and to have been playing the finest teams in the land would have been a joy to behold. As it was he struggled to match the pace of First Division football making only 19 appearances all season. That said, he still offered flashes of brilliance and glimpses of what might have been. His journey with the club through their historic season brought him just two goals, one away at Leicester and one away at Sheffield United, but left him with the wonderful memories of having played for this fine club when it was at its pinnacle and left us with the wonderful memory of having seen him do it.