Carlisle had gone through the by now usual crisis in the close season. Manager Ian Atkins had left and new manager Roddy Collins inherited a threadbare squad and no obvious replacement for Scott Dobie who had been sold to West Brom at the end of the 2000/01 season.
By the 25th of August Carlisle had played 3 league games and the first round of the football league cup and not scored a goal, things were looking dire. Then on the 31st of August came the surprise news that Carlisle had paid out £50,000 for a young Irish player. Roddy Collins was thrilled at the signing describing Richie as a "tremendous player packed with exceptional skill and potential." Supporters waited to see Richie on the pitch, hoping that this young man who had never played in an English league and whose disciplinary record had reportedly scared off other clubs would be able to kick start Carlisle's season.
Richie was born in Dublin on the 16th of June 1980 and had
played for Irish clubs Belvedere and Home Farm, before joining Shelbourne in
July 2000. He made his senior debut for Shelbourne in the 
Champions League
qualifier against Sloga Jugomagnat which Shelbourne won over two legs. The next
round was against Rosenborg of Norway. Despite Rosenborg winning the round
Richie could take personal pride in scoring in both the home and away leg.
Brunton Park on the 1st of September saw Richie first take to the field in a blues shirt, the opposition was Rochdale and the game was eventually lost 1-2 but Richie had hit the woodwork and been the provider for Allan to score the United goal, a fairly impressive debut performance.
Goal Number 1 - ( 8.9.01) 2-2 v Darlinton (away)
Carlisle were already 1-0 up thanks to a Stevie Halliday strike, when a melee in the penalty box ended when the referee blew for a penalty in the 37th minute. Darlington's Craig Liddle was ajuedged to have handled. Richie grabbed the ball, determined to take the strike and confidently converted the spot kick. In the second half, with the score at 2-1, Richie had a gilt edged chance to go further ahead when only a yard out, he rushed his shot and skied it over the bar. A costly miss as Darlington were to pull the game back to a 2-2 draw.
Goal Number 2 - (18.9.01) 2-1 v York City (home)
United were well on top in this game and deserved their
first win of the season. The score line
was still 0-0 when in the 34th minute Chey Hews played the ball forward, Richie
showed his sprint
speed, darting forward to reach the ball and shoot. York's keeper, Fettis, made a
good effort at saving but the ball bounced high, hitting the top of the post and
into the net.
Goal Number 3 - (22.9.01) 2-2 v Lincoln City (home)
Carlisle looked the better side in this game but were tormented by Lincoln's Kingsley Black all afternoon and by the 89th minute were trailing 2-1.This was the game that Richie started his endearing habit of scoring in the last minute of a game, something he repeated throughout the season. Birch put a good cross into the area and when the Lincoln defender attempted to clear he managed to head the ball to no one in particular across the box. Richie saw his chance and powered in to head the ball home.
Goal Number 4 - (25.9.01) 2-3 v Southend United (away)
Richie scored the first goal in the 24th minute. Halliday nipped in to steal the ball from two Southend players, he then put a superb ball through for Richie, who drew the keeper before slotting the ball into the net. Poor defending allowed Southend back into the game and they were to get a win with their last minute third goal, things were looking worrying for the United fans, rooted near the bottom of the table.
Goal Number 5 - (16.10.01) 1-2 v Port Vale in the LDVVT round 1 (away)
This was always going to be a tough game but in the first half Carlisle were at least equal to the task and were unlucky to lose Steve Soley through injury at half time which gave Port Vale more room in midfield in the second half. The first goal was Carlisle's when in the 19th minute, Halliday neatly controlled the ball on the left and put a good cross into the box. Richie again showed his aerial ability rising higher than any of the taller Port Vale defenders to head home.
Goal Number 6 - (20.10.01) 1-0 v Kidderminster Harriers (home)
Carlisle were now rock bottom and desperately needed a home win, Kiddie had never won against Carlisle and everyone had fingers crossed that this wasn't going to be the day. It was a nervy encounter but the breakthrough finally came on 49 minutes with a corner taken by Peter Murphy. A good ball into the box found Richies head and his powerful downwards header gave the keeper no chance.
Goal Number 7 - (3.11.01) 1-1 v Macclesfield Town (away)
Carlisle scored first in this rather dour affair. In the 43rd minute McGill produced one of his trademark runs, then crossed to Steve Soley, Steve headed goalwards but the ball hit the post and rebounded loose. Richie was as ever was alert for the chance and blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
Goal Number 8 - (8.12.01) 1-6 v Tranmere Rovers FAC2 (away)
A consolation goal in a match where Carlisle were thoroughly outclassed. With the score at 4-0 Tranmere were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty in the 70th minute which was duly dispatched. Straight from the restart Brendan McGill managed to cross the ball to the far post for Richie to head home Carlisle's only goal.
Goal Number 9 - (12.01.02) 6-1 v Leyton Orient (home)
What a difference a month can make, another 6-1 scoreline
but this time Carlisle were the winning
side, with the score 5-0 at half
time and an Ian Stevens hat trick. Richie scored the third goal, a penalty
in the 17th minute. Referee, Mr Mathieson, blew after Richie appeared to be pushed over in the box by Orient's Dean Smith.
There was no doubt who was going to take the spot kick which was hit
with power into the top corner. A great day for team and supporters alike.
Goal Number 10 -(15.01.02) 1-0 v Hull City (away)
This was the game where the travelling blues really started to believe. Beating a poor Leyton Orient side had been a great boost but few believed we were capable of continuing the run against a strong Hull side and win our first away match of the season. The only goal of the game cam in the 9th minute. Stuart Green took a free kick just outside the penalty area, he hit the ball low and somehow the ball travelled through defenders and attackers alike, straight to the far post where Richie was waiting to fire it into the net.
Goal Number 11 - (22.01.02) 3-0 v Rushden & Diamonds (home)
Revenge is sweet, the away game at Nene Park had been a bad
tempered affair with United feeling they had been harshly treated by their
hosts and the officials. Richie scored the second goal in the 28th minute.
Stuart Green had his goal bound shot cleared by Rushden's McElhatton but
only cleared into the path of Richie who calmly lifted the ball over the keeper,
hitting the inside of the post and into the net.
Goal Number 12 - (05.02.02) 1-3 v Darlington (home)
Oh dear, the manager of the month virus struck with a vengeance in this match, after superb team efforts though January we were due a bad game but why Darlington! In a bad tempered physical match United's goal came from a penalty in the 45th minute. In first half injury time Richie was pushed to the ground by Darlington's Gary Pearson. Richie took the spot kick well sending the Darlington keeper the wrong way.
Goal Number 13 - (23.03.02) 2-1 v Oxford United (home)
This match meant a lot to the supporters and even
more to manager Roddy Collins. The return of
Ian Atkins to Brunton Park was
greeted with heart felt applause by the supporters. However a home win meant
only one more point was needed for mathematical safety. With some hard games to
come and a United side now suffering badly through injuries Collin's felt
this was the must win game. Richie hadn't scored a goal in ten games , no
one doubted his ability or his work rate. He had worked tirelessly through
February and March, many times helping out in defence but the goals hadn't come.
With a few minutes to go Roddy Collins told Richie to stay up front whatever
happened he was to be there ready for a break. Into injury time the break
came, Richie got the ball on the edge of the box, with only one thing on his
mind, his powerful run took him past one Oxford defender, then as Andy
Crosby tried to make a tackle Richie shot low past keeper Richard Knight.
Goal Number 14 - (29.03.02) 2-2 v Halifax Town (away)
A point away at the shay guaranteed United safety for another
year and meant the Halifax were nearly certain to drop out of the league,
a touch of sadness for some blues supporters who had memories of many happy
trips to the Chay but we were safe with 6 games to go. Richie again dug out an
injury time special, with only seconds to go Carlisle were awarded a corner.
Michael Jack sent the ball in deep across goal, Will McDonagh turned the
ball back in to the melee in front of goal and Richie got enough of his
foot on it to poke the ball home.
Goals 15 and 16 - (01.04.02) 3-2 v Macclesfield Town (home)
Now we were playing for nothing but pride but United had a lot
to be proud of and Richie was still
aiming to increase his goal tally for the
season. For the first times he scored more than one goal in a match both
of these penalties. Macclesfield were winning 2-0 by half time but in the
second half the remarkable fight back began. In the 49th minute Craig
McAughtrie was fouled in the box by Macclesfield's Paul O’Neilland Richie scored
from the spot. By 90 minutes United were still trailing 2-1. Into injury time
and Craig McAughtrie capped a good defensive display with his first Carlisle
goal and fans started to make their way home content with a draw. However
Richie wasn't finished and proved yet again you shouldn't leave before the
final whistle. With seconds to go he ran into the box to try and get onto a
loose ball and referee Paul Rejer adjudged that his run had been impeded by
Macclesfield's keeper Steve Wilson. Richie again claimed the spot kick and
dispatched into the corner of the net past the keepers despairing lunge.
Sixteen goals in 41 games is not a bad return, particularly for a young man in his first season in the English league. Five of his goals were penalties, which in itself was remarkable, United had barely had five penalties awarded in the previous three seasons. There is a lot more to Richie Foran than his ability to shoot. Many times during the season it was Richie's defensive header that cleared the oppositions goal scoring chance. He has exceptional speed and is never slow to get stuck in, at some point in every match he could be seen rubbing his head, the result of some kick or elbow contact with the opposition. He can show exceptional talent on the ball, against Barnet in the cup in the replay at Brunton Park, supporters were treated to a display where he turned and spun and eased the ball round four defenders before shooting, if the ball had gone in it would have been goal of the decade. Occasionally guilty of showboating but far more often to be admired for his sheer hard graft. Fourteen yellow cards in a season is something that he still needs to be work on, particularly as so many were picked up for dissent but he didn't get sent off in the season and will always be liable to pick up some yellows in his committed play. At 22 Richie is still learning his craft, last year he had good coaches and his friend and mentor Roddy Collins to guide him through. The coming season will be much harder, with a threadbare squad and an as yet unknown management team, can Richie do it again and go on to greater things? I hope so, he's an exciting player to watch and has done the United faithful proud in the 2001/02 season.
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