Shock! Horror! Carlisle United boss Neil McDonald this week became football’s first managerial casualty of the season. The Brunton Park boss got his marching orders after just one game - and he most certainly will not be the last to suffer the same fate this campaign.

In the ultimate act of betrayal, McDonald was pushed rather than being allowed to jump. The Carlisle board, to the general amazement of fans, have kicked a remarkably decent man in the teeth.

Now there are those who believe that all football managers need to take out life insurance before signing on the dotted line. It does seem that the modern-day manager is about as indispensable as the average Tory politician.

'The Carlisle board believed that poor McDonald had done the football equivalent of robbing a bank or mugging an old lady'


Back in the golden 1970s, Brian Clough, bless his cotton socks, was appointed Leeds manager - and 44 days later he received his P45. He was given his marching orders presumably because Leeds didn’t like his style of bringing his old Derby favourites to Elland Road.

As events turned out, Clough became one of the most successful football bosses of all time. He led both Derby County, and then superbly, Nottingham Forest to League Championships and European Cups.

For McDonald, though, patience was clearly not a virtue and Carlisle are the laughing stock of football’s managerial merry-go-round. Football sackings may have become a common occurrence but this can be no consolation to a fine, upstanding footballing man.

McDonald, Carlisle boss since June 2006, was a managerial novice. But football has once again handled its off-field affairs in an atrociously cack-handed manner. What chairman or board of directors decides that the ‘'club have lost confidence in their manager’' after one game?

The truth of the matter is that Carlisle United were held to a 1-1 draw by Walsall on the opening day of the season. By anybody’s reckoning this is not a Greek tragedy nor is it a sackable offence. But the club board, in their infinite wisdom, believed that poor McDonald had done the football equivalent of robbing a bank or mugging an old lady.

Last season, the Cumbrian club finished a commendable eighth in League One. In the mid-1970s they were actually top of the old First Division - yes, top of the League. But memories are short and Carlisle are now a victim of their circumstances - or perhaps lower-division mediocrity.

Surely football has once again done itself a great disservice. Football managers are worth their weight in gold and McDonald has been treated in the most reprehensible fashion. As he waits for his next job in football it is to be hoped that he will make Carlisle eat their words.