Owen Moxon: ‘living the dream’ as Blues prepare for League One

Local hero Carlisle-born Moxon says he has been living his childhood dream throughout the 2022/23 campaign, but he had to go the long way round to get there.

“I always backed myself to do it,”

“But you don’t know if you’re ever going to get that chance, especially given where I was playing my football a year ago. Sometimes you just need one person to give you a chance and that’s what happened to me.”

The 25-year-old grew up supporting Carlisle and even used to be a ball boy at first-team matches during his time in the Academy.

In 2014, he received news that he wouldn’t be turning professional and was released as a teenager.

“It was absolutely heart-breaking,” he admitted. “I remember crying my eyes out to my mum and dad. All I wanted was to play for this Club.

After leaving school, Moxon signed for Scottish side Queen of the South, where he spent three years, before signing for fourth-tier Annan Athletic, who were managed by Carlisle United legend Peter Murphy, who made more than 400 appearances for the Club.

Moxon worked part-time alongside his football commitments during his five seasons with Annan, first on a mechanics apprenticeship scheme at Arnold Clarke, which he admits he “absolutely hated”, and then as a UPS delivery driver as recently as last year.

“I hated working on the mechanics scheme, so I just left and became a delivery driver for a while alongside football. I can’t believe it was only a year ago, but thankfully it’s worked out.”

“Football is everything to me,” he declared. “Whether I was getting paid to play or not, I always just wanted to play it, so playing part-time in Scotland was everything to me at the time and was an experience I’m grateful for. Working and playing was really hard, but it just shows how much I wanted it and how much I still believed in myself to eventually make it back to full-time.

“Yes, it took some time. I’ve had a different path, but I’m doing it now and that’s all that matters. Hopefully, this is just the start.”

Owen also praised CUFC manager Simmo saying: “I’m so grateful for him (Paul Simpson) giving me the chance to get back in at this level.”

As soon as I spoke to him, I knew it was what I wanted. Being a local lad, I’ve seen the change in the city since he came back to manage the Club.

“Eighteen months ago, Carlisle was struggling and almost gone from the EFL, but he’s changed everything.”

“He’s actually a king to all of my mates who are Carlisle fans. Whatever he says, people round here buy into it and that’s how well he’s thought of. That says it all and that made my decision easy; I knew I was going to be playing for someone special.”

With 17 assists to his name in all competitions, he topped the charts last season for the most assists across the entire EFL.

After playing his part in the penalty shoot-out drama against Stockport County which led to the Blues promotion to League One Owen said: “These are the moments you dream of as a kid; it’s not money, it’s not fame, it’s moments like this.”