YOU couldn't make it up.

A previously unknown 'businessman' pitches up at Carlisle United claiming to have £6.3m to invest in the struggling club from the sale of a hotel complex in Spain.

He enters into talks with then-chairman Michael Knighton and is wined and dined before a plum FA Cup third-round tie with Arsenal at Brunton Park in January 2001.

Then, rather than taking the reins, Stephen Brown is exposed as an impostor, who, in reality, is an unemployed former curry house waiter!

"It was amazing," recalls Matt Glennon, Town's former Carlisle goalkeeper who will face his old club for the first time at the Galpharm next Saturday.

"I thought I'd done well to have 24 guests at the Arsenal game, but this bloke had even more.

"He did the whole bit, coming into our dressing room to introduce himself, sitting in the dug-out and getting a signed Arsenal shirt afterwards.

"It was only when someone saw him driving away in a battered old Ford Sierra that the alarm bells started ringing!"

At the time, former Huddersfield school owner Knighton admitted: "This man has caused horrendous embarrassment to me and the club."

And looking back, Glennon, who was in the first of two spells with the Cumbrians, reflects: "The episode had its funny side, but it was sad too.

"The fact that this man was able to hoodwink everyone reflected that Carlisle really were in a bit of a state.

"I was on loan there from Bolton Wanderers at the time, so I was on a secure Premiership contract.

"But for most of the boys, there was a real worry that the club would go belly up and they would all be out of a job."

Carlisle narrowly escaped relegation to the Conference that season.

But Glennon, who was named supporters' player of the year, still enjoyed his spell there and was pleased to make a permanent move from Hull City in October 2002.

"I had three enjoyable seasons, and while there were lows, there were some great highs," adds the Stockport-born 27-year-old stopper, who was part of the side who were relegated from the league in 2004 but bounced straight back up via the Conference play-offs.

"We struggled in the league in my first season (2002-03) but also reached the final of the LDV Vans Trophy, when we played Bristol City at the Millennium Stadium (Carlisle were beaten 2-0).

"The season after that we ended up being relegated, but having been miles adrift at Christmas, we made a real fight of it after Paul Simpson took over as manager.

"His right-hand man was Dennis Booth, the old Town coach (under Brian Horton), and they were a great pair to work with."

Glennon saved three spot kicks as a Carlisle side including Town old boys Chris Billy, Kevin Gray and Tom Cowan came through their Conference play-off semi-final against Aldershot Town on penalties.

Then he kept a clean sheet as Stevenage Borough were beaten in the final at Stoke's Britannia Stadium.

"It was fantastic to get straight back up and reward the supporters, who remained very loyal," he says.

"Cumbria is a real outpost - I laugh when the Town lads complain about a three-hour coach journey to an away game, because for Carlisle, that's a local derby! - but they still took loads of fans away.

"I remember going to Leigh RMI, whose average attendance was around 600, and there were more than 2,000 Carlisle supporters there.

"I had a great relationship with them, and hopefully I'll get a good reception from both sets of fans next Saturday!"

Glennon - who was plying his trade up in Scotland, first with Falkirk, then St Johnstone, as Carlisle won promotion from League II last season - might have a good rapport with the Brunton Park faithful, but he'll still be doing his best to send them back up the M6 reflecting on a defeat.

"I'm a Town player now and I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here," says the man who has now sold his house in Carlisle and is preparing to move to Shelley with wife Nicola and three-year-old daughter Alannah.

"We've been put up in a hotel so far, and while the staff there have been great to us, it will be nice to get into our own place, even if Pawel Abbott is going to be one of our neighbours!" he smiles.

"Peter Jackson has gone out of his way to make me feel welcome and the other players have been brilliant.

"It's a great team spirit, and while the results so far this season have not been exactly as we would have liked, I firmly believe they will improve, because there is a lot of talent at this club."