PETER  MURPHY

Height  5'11"

Weight 12 10lbs

Defender (left side)

League Appearances 57 (4)

Peter was born in Dublin on the 27th of October 1980 and signed as a trainee for Blackburn on the 1st of August 1999. Whilst at Blackburn he moved on loan to Halifax on the 27th of October 2000, playing 18(3) games for them and scoring once.  He signed for Carlisle on the 8th of August 2001 in a two year deal.

Peter played  a major part in the 2001/02 season, playing most often as left back but occasionally in left midfield. When Brendan McGill came on loan to Carlisle he and Peter formed an exciting partnership, Peter feeding Brendan the ball for him to set off  on a run down the left that could beat most defenders in the division. Whilst never managing to find the net himself his passes and back heels were invaluable in the build up of attacking play.  Peters only substitute appearance came in the first match of the season, at home to Luton when he came on in the 58th minute for Stuart Whitehead. From then on he was an almost ever present in the starting line up, appearing in all the cup games and only missing 6 leagues games, all through injury, a damaged knee forcing him to miss the last games of the season. Unfortunately Peter will start next season by missing the first two games with  a suspension carried over from his red card at Shrewsbury away on the 6th of April.  This was awarded after Peter's high challenge on Shrews player Andy Thompson, one of very few rash challenges he made through the season and was not made with any malicious intent. Of his four yellow cards the most ridiculous had to be the one given to him at Hull, away on the 15th of January, when in the 28th minute of the game he was adjudged to be time wasting when taking a throw in, despite the fact that when Hull players had taken throw ins they had taken considerably longer. 

A good first season from a player  who looks to be an asset to the squad.

2002/03 proved to be an excellent season for Peter.  After missing the first two games through suspension, his first appearance was away at Lincoln on the 18th of August where he played in central midfield before settling back into his accustomed left back role.  With the departure of Stuart Whitehead and  a spell of injuries and suspensions, Peter was tried out in central defence and played there with such assurance that he was to remain there for the majority of the season. The attacking side of his play brought his debut goal for the club, away at Bournemouth on the 28th of September. The game was already lost to United after Bournemouth had scored three goals and Richie Foran had been substituted with what turned out to be a fractured cheekbone. In the 89th minute  Peter received the ball on the edge of the box and swerved and dodged past defenders to force his way through and score. His only other goal came at home to Bury on the 23rd of November. United were awarded a free kick around 25 yards out after Leon Osman had been tripped. Murph stepped up and struck a superb ball which looped over the wall and hit the top right hand corner of goal.

Peter's efforts for United have not gone unnoticed, he was voted Player of the Season by fans and by his fellow team members.  He is presently considering a new contract which will keep him at Brunton Park until the summer of 2005.

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