Postcard from...Carlisle United

What kind of club dismiss their manager after a draw on the opening day of the season? That was the question that Carlisle United supporters were asking when Neil McDonald went after the 1-1 draw away to Walsall two months ago. McDonald had guided Carlisle to eighth place in Coca-Cola League One last season but Fred Story, the owner, said that the club had lost confidence in the former Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace coach.

Gregg Abbott, the first-team coach, was appointed caretaker manager and his record — two defeats in eight league matches — should have secured him the job permanently, but Story announced last Tuesday that John Ward had agreed to swap Cheltenham Town for Brunton Park to become the club’s third manager in three months.

“I feel like one of the luckiest people in the game,” Ward said. “Managers normally get jobs at clubs where things have been going wrong, but I’m coming into a club that is settled and well-organised.”

Ward led Cheltenham into League One via the play-offs last season and on Saturday his new team beat Millwall 4-0 at home to climb to third in League One. The manner of the victory eased fans’ fears of route-one football under their new manager.

“I’ve got that reputation because I worked with Graham Taylor at Watford and Aston Villa but it’s just not true,” Ward said. “You can’t be successful playing like that. You have to mix it up. If I told these players to get it from back to front without any thought, they would make sure that I wasn’t here for very long.”

Ward has signed a four-year contract and the 56-year-old former Watford forward won promotions as a manager at York City, Bristol City and Cheltenham. He expects Carlisle to be playing in the Championship within four years.

“Cheltenham were second-bottom of League Two when I took over but success is relative and I needed a new challenge,” Ward said. “When this job came along it wasn’t hard for me to make a decision. There are lots of good teams in this division but promotion is our aim. If it happens this year we will be prepared.”

KAVEH SOLHEKOL