Jimmy Glass 25 years on: 'I was probably born to score that goal'

Despite only making three appearances for United, Jimmy Glass' name will forever be etched in the history books at Brunton Park as one of the club's greatest moments.

The goalkeeper's spectacular goal in the last minute of play saved the Blues from relegation and kept them in the Third Division (now League Two).

It was the final day of the season on 8 May 1999 - Carlisle United were in a straight shootout with Scarborough on a campaign to save their English Football League (EEL) club status.

With just 10 seconds left on the clock at Brunton Park, the goalkeeper ran into the opposition penalty area and secured his side's Football League status with a 2-1 win.

25 years on from that monumental moment and Glass reflected on that "phenomenal moment".

"I don't think I reaslied the significance of that moment at the time," Glass said.

"It wasn't until people started sending me news cuttings and I started getting calls from radio stations around the world that I realised the impact that moment had not just on the fans, but football as a whole."

"I think I was probably born to score that goal"

Despite being a goalkeeper, Glass said he had always had ambitions of scoring a goal: "I scored a goal and that was always what I wanted to do in my football career, which sounds ridiculous as a goalkeeper"

"I always wanted to try and affect games as a goal keeper.

"I always backed myself to score goals.

"I'd played up front as a youth player probably more than I played in goal, which sounds crazy, but true.

"Whenever I ran into a box, I always thought I'd score.

"As it played out, I was the only one in the middle of the 6 yard box, and the ball fell to me and from that point, I was never going to miss.

"I sounds cliché, but in some ways I think that's what my career was meant to do.

"I think I was probably born to score that goal.

"It was a phenomenal moment in my life.

"I think wow, what a moment for myself because I was involved in something timeless.

"And who knows, maybe people will continue to enjoy it for another 50 years.

"I'm very luck and honored to be a part of it, and all the lads at Carlisle who played that day, everyone involved with the club at the time, we can all look back and enjoy that moment.

Glass had moved to Carlisle after stints at Chelsea and Crystal Palace as a trainee goalkeeper.

He moved to the Carlisle on emergency loan from Swindon Town three games before the end of the season after the club's last minute decision to sell Tony Caig to Blackpool on deadline day.

"Like many footballers I just wanted to play football.

"It hadn't been a great season for me at Swindon and I just wanted to come to Carlisle to play some games.

"Initially I didn't really know where Carlisle were in the league.

"It was only my dad telling me they were in a relegation dog fight when I was driving back to London to get my stuff to go up there.

"When I arrived in Carlisle and started talking to people I realized how big and how important these next three games were.

"What if I score the winner?"

"Had Carlisle been playing well that season? No.

"Were they boys in a great place? No.

"But in me there's always a belief that you can make a difference, that things can happen, and to just keep fighting to the end.

"My first training session I was jogging around the pitch and there was a young keeper called Paul Heritage and I remember talking to him about the season and he said not to worry and 'if you keep them up - you'll be a hero'.

"I said, what if I score the winner?

"I'm not a great believer in faith and the start but the whole experience for me was quite surreal from day one really."

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