MILLERS LEGENDS IN THE HOUSE FOR SOHAM TOWN RANGERS!
Carlton Town are delighted to announce Millers Legends will be our very special guests for the home clash with Soham Town Rangers.
There were mixed feelings after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Loughborough , a good away point, an opportunity missed or a game we could easily have lost in stoppage time, take your pick !
Attention now turns to next Saturday and Boatsy’s new policy in his role as Marketing and Commercial Chief continues with his policy of having special guests for most games.
In the 2004-2005 season , Carlton had an average home gate of 55, their highest attendance being 90 and their lowest 37. The manager was Tommy Brookbanks.
Carlton had come 3rd in the season before and just missed out on promotion and Brookbanks was determined not to miss out again, one man in particular was to spearhead the attack going forward, a typical top quality number 9.
His name was Phil Bignall and he was to have an absolutely outstanding season. He opened his account with a brace on Saturday 20th August against South Normanton Athletic in a 3-1 Millers win at Stoke Lane.
During that period of fantastic success for Carlton, the club made some great Centre forward signings, Darryl Thomas, Steve Chaplin, Daniel Blair and Danny Heverin all spring to mind and Alan Jeffries was another fondly remembered in his short but fruitful stay with the club.
Fans from that era will particular remember Bignall however and his popular father who took on stewarding duties at the club.
His goals help blast The Millers to the Division one title winning 23 of 30 games and winning the league by a clear 8 points ahead of Retford United.
Sadly for the Millers, Bignall moved to Sutton Town who were operating with a much bigger budget and Carlton were to play in the premier league without their prolific striker, but luckily for the Millers, others stepped up to the plate.
As the season progressed, Carlton were in the promotion mix and Brookbanks needed a last push and they moved back in for Phil Bignall in March 2007 and he returned and in a dramatic reunion on Saturday 17th March 2007, he scored a hatrick in a 3-0 win at Amthorpe Welfare and followed up with a brace the following Saturday in a 2-1 win over Pickering Town in front of 50 at Stoke Lane.
Carlton then went on to achieve a dramatic promotion at Garforth Town in their last fixture of the season in front of 564 with goals from Joe Irons and with a last minute winner from Dean Gent.
Another player establishing himself at that time was youngster Grant Brindley and he will also be in the house along with Phil and his dad.
Grant had an equally positive impact at Stoke Lane, being part of that success under Brookbanks before returning and achieving legendary status under Les McJannet with his performance as emergency goalkeeper in the 2013 Notts Senior Cup final against Sutton, Carlton winning the trophy for the first time in their 107 year history with an emphatic 5-2 score line.
Brindley had more success with Carlton in 2014 as they retained the Senior Cup, beating Rainworth 6-2 at Hucknall Town and he is also famously remembered for his late goal in the Quarter Final of the League Cup when Carlton beat Fc United of Manchester at Stoke Lane in the same season.
True legends of the club will be on hand to hopefully see Carlton take another step towards a place off place and catch up with long time supporters and no doubt Tommy Brookbanks, now back at the club as Joint manager of course.
Carlton meet Soham on Saturday 29th January at 3pm !
