As we enter the final throes of the campaign, supporters of clubs languishing at the bottom end of their respective divisions will no doubt be hoping for a miracle in order to help them avoid the drop. Of course, football has thrown up many a memorable twist on the final day over the years, which will offer those fans plenty of solace in their bid to stay up.
Whether it be Coventry City in 1985, Torquay United two years later, or more recently Bradford City at the turn of the millennium, there is plenty of evidence to support the notion that nothing is over until that final ball is kicked. There was also the tale of West Bromwich Albion a decade ago, who became the first club to stay in the Premier League after being bottom of the pile at Christmas, and not least Manchester City's last-gasp Sergio Aguero-inspired triumph at the other end of the table in 2012.
However, on this day in 1999, a drop-dodging goal of Hollywood proportions helped Carlisle United maintain their proud Football League status in the most incredible of circumstances. Jimmy Glass enjoyed spells at 16 different clubs during a 15-year career, but nothing quite compared to the moment he found the net against Plymouth Argyle in the final seconds of the season.
It is probably worth mentioning at this point to those who are not already familiar with the events which unfolded at Brunton Park, that Glass was a goalkeeper by trade. It is also relevant to point out that the Epsom-born stopper only actually played three games for the club during his loan spell from Swindon Town.
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Carlisle headed into the Division Three clash propping up the table following Scarborough's midweek win over Argyle a few days beforehand. It meant that the Blues' fate was out of their own hands on the final day, knowing that they required the now-disbanded club to miss out on victory at Peterborough United, while also claiming three points of their own to stand any sort of chance.
The full-time whistle at Scarborough, bringing to an end a 1-1 draw, ensured that one half of the bargain had been met. Now, being held to a 1-1 draw themselves, the Cumbrians needed a hero. Step forward Jimmy Glass, a man who, despite all his clubs, had only previously held down a starting spot during his time at Bournemouth.
With what was virtually the last kick of the game, the goalkeeper bundled the ball home when up for a corner to spark scenes of joy in one part of the country, but complete and utter dismay in another as Scarborough dropped into non-League football.
The great irony in all this is that Nigel Pearson, who 16 years on is now battling to keep Leicester City afloat in the top tier, was the man who signed the 6'4" stopper in the first place.
Speaking to BBC Sport in 2013 about how that fateful moment panned out, Glass said: "I was always a frustrated forward. I looked over to Nigel Pearson and he waved me on. That was it, it all came down to that last kick. If I could bottle that feeling I would be a very rich man now.
"It fell straight to me and the rest is history. You don't get that excitement from driving a cab. It is a amazing feeling, those moments in sport. The change from despair to pure elation for people, the fans, coaches, players, ball boys."
Glass would become a hero in those parts for the rest of his days, without ever kicking a ball for the North-West outfit again.
"The reality is I could be anywhere and be recognised now. I have been in a theme park in America and someone has tapped me on the shoulder and said 'you are Jimmy Glass'," he added.
"It is quite tough because some go on to fame and fortune and some go on to driving a cab and living a normal life like me. It is quite difficult to understand your place in life from being this guy who will never be forgotten to being the guy worrying about your next bill.
"The goal was an amazing part of my life and is there to be enjoyed, and I will until people get bored of me. Someone on Saturday will be a hero and someone will be a villain. It is an incredible feeling."
An incredible feeling, indeed, and one that countless clubs across the continent will be hoping to replicate in the coming weeks as the relegation dogfight continues to heat up.
Carlisle United (3-4-3): Glass; Bowman, Whitehead, Brightwell; Hopper (Bass, 74), Anthony, Prokas, Searle (Clark, 72); Tracey (Bagshaw, 55), Stevens, Dobie
Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): Dungey; Ashton, Heathcote, Collins, Beswetherick; Phillips (Wotton, 82), Barlow, McCall (McGovern, 74), Gibbs (Bastow, 44); Crowe, Guinan
