promotion to the Second Division. He continued in the first team until injuries intervened, and after a cartilage operation he finished the season on loan at Carlisle United. Cullen was released at the end of the 2001–02 season, during which he made 17 appearances, and he signed a one-month contract with Third Division Darlington. After four matches, his deal was extended, but he was let go two weeks later, and he returned to his former club of Spennymoor. A trial with Malaysian club Selangor in February yielded nothing, and Cullen made a brief return to another former club, Morpeth Town, before trying his luck equally fruitlessly in the United States with the Chicago Fire and the Long Island Rough Riders in March and April. He finished the season back at Morpeth, played seven Conference matches for Halifax Town at the start of the 2003–04 season, before another spell with Spennymoor, during which he scored a hat-trick of penalties. He then played Northern League football for Washington Nissan, Newcastle Blue Star, further spells with the renamed Sunderland Nissan and with Morpeth Town, and Horden Colliery Welfare. Career statistics Honours Individual PFA Team of the Year: 1997–98 Third Division References 1973 births Living people Footballers from County Durham English footballers Association football midfielders Doncaster Rovers F.C. players Bishop Auckland F.C. players Spennymoor United F.C. players Morpeth Town A.F.C. players Hartlepool United F.C. players Sheffield United F.C. players Shrewsbury Town F.C. players Halifax Town A.F.C. players Peterborough United F.C. players Carlisle United F.C. players Darlington F.C. players Sunderland Nissan F.C. players Newcastle Blue Star F.C. players Darlington Town F.C. players English Football League players Northern Premier League players Northern Football League players National League (English football) players