Cambridge United F.C.

Cambridge United

Full name	Cambridge United Football Club
Nickname(s)	United, The U's
Founded	1912 (as Abbey United)
Ground	Abbey Stadium Cambridge
Capacity	10,847 (4,948 seated
Chairman	Paul Barry
Manager	Jez George (Caretaker manager)
League	Conference National
2009–10	Conference National, 10th
Home colours Away colours

Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League after 35 years.

Cambridge United have been one of the more successful small clubs in English football, having had two spells in the league's second tier and reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup twice and Football League Cup once. The club has close links with Cambridge Regional College, a team formed in 2006 to compete, in effect, as United's reserve team and so avoid FA rules which prohibit reserve teams playing at certain levels of the football pyramid.

The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on Newmarket Road, approximately 3 kilometres east of Cambridge city centre. The stadium currently has a capacity of 10,847 made up of terracing and seated areas. Although the club has traditionally worn amber and black at home, it has experimented with a number of designs of shirts including plain amber with black trim, amber and black squares, stripes and, amber with a black sash.

History

Formation and early years

The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United, named after the Abbey district of Cambridge. A club called Cambridge United existed in Cambridge from 1909, but it was not linked to the club that exists today. The club played in local amateur leagues for many of its early years, moving from ground to ground around Cambridge (see Stadium below) before settling at the Abbey Stadium. In 1949 the club turned professional, and changed its name to Cambridge United in 1951. They played in the Eastern Counties League until finishing as runners-up in 1957–58, which saw them promoted to the Southern League. Three years later, Cambridge United reached the Premier Division of the Southern League.

League era

Final table positions since election

After election to the Football League in 1970, to replace Bradford (Park Avenue), the club enjoyed mixed success. Although it reached 8th place in the Second Division in 1980, the club was relegated in 1984 (setting a league record for most games without a win, 31, which was surpassed by Derby County in 2008) and 1985 (equalling the league record for most losses in a season, 33). These successive relegations placed Cambridge back in the Fourth Division, the lowest professional league in English football at the time.

The early 1990s was the U's most successful period. Managed by John Beck the club won the first ever play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Dion Dublin scored the only goal in a game against Chesterfield. Under Beck United gained promotion from the Fourth Division before reaching two successive FA Cup quarter finals in 1990 and 1991 and winning the Third Division in 1991. United reached the play-offs in 1992, after finishing 5th in Division Two, but failed in their bid to become founder members of the Premier League. This was the club's highest final league placing to date. The following season the club sacked John Beck and were relegated from the new First Division. Further relegation followed two seasons later. United returned to Division Two but were relegated in 2002. In 2005, after 35 years in the Football League, Cambridge United were relegated into the Football Conference. This brought with it financial difficulties and the club filed for administration on 29 April. On 22 July 2005 the club came out of administration with a deal being struck with HM Revenue and Customs at the eleventh hour after the intervention of then sports minister Richard Caborn. Cambridge had sold their Abbey Stadium home earlier in the season for £1.9 million in order to keep the club afloat. They were also forced to close their youth set-up leaving many young players without a club.

Recent history

The Cambridge supporters at Wembley Stadium

On the eve of the 2006–07 season, it was announced that former Norwich City striker Lee Power would be the club's new chairman taking over from Brian Attmore's caretaking reign. Johnny Hon was also to rejoin the board as vice-chairman after John Howard's resignation on conflict of interests grounds (owing to his ownership of Bideawhile 445 Ltd, United's landlords). Jimmy Quinn was appointed manager soon after Power took charge and, after a difficult settling-in period which included a humiliating 5–0 loss to local rivals Histon, he guided Cambridge United away from another possible relegation by achieving five wins from their last seven games of the season.

After signing several respected and experienced players at the non-league level in the following close season Quinn led Cambridge to their longest ever unbeaten start to a season (2007–08), which stretched to twelve games. Off the field, United reported several major sponsorship deals which seem to point towards increased financial security. Halfway through the season the chairman, Lee Power, resigned. He was replaced by Philip Law. United finished the season in 2nd place, qualifying for the play-offs. They beat Burton Albion in the semi-final, 4–3 on aggregate, but lost 1–0 to Exeter City in the final, played at Wembley Stadium.

Following the play-off defeat many players left the club, culminating in the departure of manager Jimmy Quinn, apparently over issues concerning Quinn's relocation to Cambridge from his Cheshire home. Quinn was succeeded by former Southport manager Gary Brabin, who appointed Paul Carden as player-assistant manager. United finished the 2008–09 season again 2nd in the league, and also again reached the play-off final, overturning a 3–1 deficit to beat Stevenage Borough 4–3 on aggregate in the semi-final; however, they were beaten again at Wembley Stadium, 2–0 by Torquay United. Brabin was named as the Conference's Manager of the Season, but was sacked in the close-season. He was replaced by Martin Ling, who resigned just eight days into the job, before the start of the 2009–10 season and was followed days later by chairman George Rolls. The new board re-appointed Ling as manager the following week.

Cambridge finished Ling's first season in 10th place – not enough for a playoff place. The following season, on 6 January 2011, with Cambridge in a similar position to where they finished the previous season, the club's owners put the club up for sale citing the need for new funds to take the club forward. Despite interest being expressed from a number of parties, no new owner has yet been found. Later the same month, the club's landlords Grosvenor Group revealed the plans for a new community stadium, including potential new locations both within the city and outside it. The start of 2011 was compounded as a period of change at the club with the departure after 87 games in charge of Martin Ling. The first team was placed under the caretaker management of CRC manager Jez George.

Colours and badge

The club's first shirt (between 1924–25)

Cambridge United have traditionally worn amber and black home kits in a variety of designs, including plain amber with black trim (e.g. 1979–91), amber and black quarters (1996–98 and halves (e.g. 1924–25), and a variety of stripes (e.g. 1926–36. Only between 1957–60 and 1970–72 have shirts not been predominantly amber, when the club opted for white with a small amber and black detail on the shirt's sleeves. Away from home, kits have often been white with some amber and/or black detail, although recently shirts have been royal blue at the request of the away shirts sponsors, Kershaw.

A sponsor first appeared on a Cambridge United shirt for the 1985–86 season when the shirt was changed mid-season from plain amber to amber and black stripes. Spraymate were the club's first shirt sponsor, and have since been followed by an array of local and national companies: Lynfox, Howlett, Fujitsu, Beaumont Stainless Steels, Premier Travel, C and R Windows, Quicksilver (couriers), Capital Sports, The Global Group, Haart, Global Self Drive, and in 2009–10 Greene King IPA.

The team's kits have been manufactured by a number of companies, with Admiral providing the first strip on which a maker's logo appeared. The club have subsequently worn kits created by, among others, Nike, Patrick, Sporta and, Vandanel, with the latter providing the strip for the 2007–08 season. and subsequently an amber shirt featuring a dramatic black sash design that polarised the opinions of fans. In the summer of 2010 the Club parted company with Vandanel, citing concerns regards the company's ability to continue to service their needs, signing a deal with Italian company Errea (citation).

The club's current crest, a large football over which the letters 'CU' are emblazoned, with three turrets on top, has been worn on its shirts since the 1986–87 season season, with a brief change to a more 'elaborate' design between 1996 and 1998. Previously, shirts had simply been embroidered with the club's acronym 'CUFC' or a 'Book & Ball' badge used during the late 70's.

Stadium

Main article: Abbey Stadium

The R Costings Abbey Stadium’s Main Stand

Cambridge United currently play their home matches at the Abbey Stadium, which has been their home since 1932. Since 2009 the ground has also been known as The R. Costings Abbey Stadium through a sponsorship deal. The stadium currently has a capacity of 9,617, of which 4,376 are seated.

Before opening the Abbey with a victory over Cambridge University Press in a friendly on 31 August 1932, United had played matches at a number of venues around the city. When playing under the Abbey United name, games were played on Midsummer Common until the outbreak of World War I. When the war ended, the club moved to Stourbridge Common and, after promotion to the Cambridgeshire League Division One in 1923, moved once again to land just off Newmarket Road in Cambridge. This ground, affectionately known as the 'Celery Trenches' due to the poor state of the pitch, was christened with a 1–0 league victory over Histon Institute and became United's home for nearly a decade. While based at the Trenches, the club established its offices at the 'Dog & Pheasant' pub on Newmarket Road, which it used as an away dressing room on matchdays, as well as a store for equipment including the pitch's goalposts. However, the Cambridgeshire FA were unhappy with the state of the pitch at this new home, and the club moved to Parker's Piece at the start of the 1930–31 season. Despite the special significance of Parker's Piece in the history of football, it being the first place where the Cambridge Rules were played out, the lack of spectator capacity and disruption caused during games meant this move was not a successful one.

In January 2006, John Howard announced plans to move out of the Abbey Stadium to a new purpose built stadium in Milton. This was supported by Cambridgeshire Horizons. These were criticised by fans as risking the club's identity by moving out of the city and, despite Howard describing them as crucial to the club's future, little else was heard of them publicly. Subsequently a new community stadium, that would also include conference facilities, was ruled out by a Planning Inspector's report which described it as unsuitable development in the green belt and in October 2009, Cambridge United announced its intentions to redevelop the Abbey Stadium with chairman.

The Stadium was sold by Bideawhile to Grosvenor Estates in June 2010. Soon after, the new landlords, in combination with the club and supporters group, Cambridge Fans United, announced that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to positively work together to achieve the relocation of the club to a new stadium, in a location as yet unknown.

Supporters

Cambridge United supporters at the Abbey Stadium

Cambridge United have a number of supporters' groups and associations, some of which are independently run and some are run by the club itself. These include: an Away Travel Club, who provide travel to every away game as well as hosting fundraising events and sponsoring senior players; youth group Junior U's; Cambridge United Supporters Association, a group giving a voice to the fans in communications with the club and the media; Vice Presidents Club, who offer match day hospitality packages; and regional associations in St Ives, East Cambridgeshire, Royston, St Neots, Bedfordshire and Saffron Walden. Cambridge Fans United is an independent supporters group who are now a significant shareholder in the club with representation on the fans' behalf on the board of directors. In addition to these supporters' groups, the club currently has one independent fanzine, United in Endeavour, which raises funds for Cambridge Fans United and is sold at home games.

Since relegation to the Conference, attendances at the Abbey have been amongst the highest in the league. Cambridge United's first two seasons in this league saw them post the 4th highest average attendance figures in both years (2,607 in 2005–06 and 2,815 in 2006–07).

Before election into the Football League, Cambridge City were regarded as the clubs biggest rivals. However, Peterborough United are considered to be their current main rivals, something that was recognised in a survey by the Football Fans Census as a reciprocated feeling, despite the fact the two clubs have experienced a number of seasons divisions apart. Other lesser rivalries include those with Northampton Town, Stevenage and Histon.

A noted supporter is writer Nick Hornby. In an article, entitled The Abbey Habit, in the book My Favourite Year: a collection of new fooball writing, Hornby describes his trials and tribulations as a Cambridge United fan during the abysmal 1983/84 season.

Players

As of 30 January 2011.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ENG	Danny Naisbitt
2	DF	ENG	Kevin Roberts
3	DF	ENG	James Jennings
4	DF	ENG	Josh Coulson
5	DF	ENG	Brian Saah
6	DF	WAL	David Partridge
7	MF	ENG	Simon Russell
8	MF	ENG	Adam Miller
9	FW	ENG	Danny Wright
10	FW	IRL	Daryl Clare
12	DF	ENG	Rory McAuley
14	MF	IRL	Conal Platt

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
15	MF	ENG	Paul Carden
17	MF	ENG	Sam Ives
18	DF	ENG	Darryl Coakley
19	FW	ENG	Adam Marriott
20	MF	ENG	Jordan Patrick
26	DF	ENG	Blaine Hudson
27	MF	ENG	Luke Berry
28	MF	ENG	Jack Eades
29	MF	ENG	Liam Hughes
30	GK	ENG	Simon Brown
31	DF	ENG	Jonathon Thorpe

Technical staff

Job title	Name
Manager	Vacant
Player/Asst Manager	Paul Carden
Head of Youth Development	Jez George
Physiotherapist	Greg Reid
Chief Scout	Andy Smith
Medical Officer	Dr. M. Wharton

Reserves and Centre of Excellence

Before relegation from the Football League in 2005, Cambridge United entered a reserve team in the Football Combination. However, this ceased following financial difficulties which meant the club could not guarantee being able to put out a team for every game. In 2006, United announced they would enter a team in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division under the banner of Cambridge Regional College which would serve as their reserve team.

Cambridge United's Centre of Excellence is widely regarded throughout professional football circles as one of the best in England. Many players have come through the youth team to establish themselves as first team players at Cambridge (for example Dan Gleeson, Daniel Chillingworth, Robbie Willmott and Josh Coulson) and go on to play at a higher level (recent examples include John Ruddy and Michael Morrison). Wales international Jack Collison was in their books as a teenager but was transferred to West Ham United after the centre closed down following relegation to the Conference National.

The youth team won their division of the Football League Youth Alliance in both 2003–04 and 2004–05, showing the strength of the club's Centre of Excellence. The club's success in the FA Youth Cup in recent years has also far surpassed its expectation given the level of the parent club – in 2006–07 the team was the highest placed non-league team reaching the Fourth Round after seven games (including qualifying games). The current captain of the youth team is Lewis Carr.

Notable former players

Since 1992 Cambridge United have made close to £7,000,000 by selling players. Some of the players who have played for the club and gone on to greater recognition include:

Name	Nationality	When	Bought From	For	Sold To	For	Largest Fee	Paid
Andy Sinton	England	1983–1985	Trainee	-	Brentford	£25,000	Sheffield Wednesday	£2,750,000
Alan Kimble	England	1986–1993	Charlton Athletic	£0	Wimbledon	£175,000	Wimbledon	£175,000
Dion Dublin	England	1988–1992	Norwich City	Free	Manchester United	£1,000,000	Aston Villa	£5,750,000
Phil Chapple	England	1988–1993	Norwich City	Free	Charlton	£100,000	Charlton	£100,000
Liam Daish	Ireland	1989–1992	Portsmouth	Free	Birmingham City	£50,000	Coventry City	£1,500,000
Lee Philpott	England	1989–1992	Peterborough United	Free	Leicester City	£350,000	Leicester City	£350,000
Steve Claridge	England	1990–1992	Aldershot	£75,000	Luton Town	£160,000	Leicester City	£1,200,000
Gary Rowett	England	1991–1994	Trainee	-	Everton	£200,000	Leicester City	£3,000,000
Jon Sheffield	England	1991–1995	Norwich City	Free	Peterborough United	£150,000	Peterborough United	£150,000
Steve Claridge	England	1992–1994	Luton Town	£190,000	Birmingham City	£350,000	Leicester City	£1,200,000
John Filan	Australia	1993–1995	Budapest	£40,000	Coventry City	£300,000	Blackburn Rovers	£700,000
Carlo Corazzin	Canada	1993–1996	Vancouver 86ers	£20,000	Plymouth Argyle	£150,000	Plymouth Argyle	£150,000
Jody Craddock	England	1993–1997	Christchurch	Free	Sunderland	£300,000	Wolverhampton Wanderers	£1,750,000
Danny Granville	England	1993–1997	Trainee	-	Chelsea	£300,000	Leeds United	£1,600,000
Micah Hyde	Jamaica	1993–1997	Trainee	-	Watford	£250,000	Watford	£250,000
Trevor Benjamin	Jamaica	1995–2000	Trainee	-	Leicester City	£1,500,000	Leicester City	£1,500,000
Martin Butler	England	1997–2000	Walsall	£22,500	Reading	£750,000	Reading	£750,000
Zema Abbey	England	2000	Hitchin Town	Free	Norwich City	£350,000	Norwich City	£350,000
Terry Fleming	England	2001–2004	Plymouth Argyle	Nominal	Grimsby Town	Nominal	Lincoln City	Nominal
Dave Kitson	England	2001–2003	Arlesey Town	Nominal	Reading	£150,000	Stoke City	£5,500,000
John Ruddy	England	2004–2005	Trainee	-	Everton	£250,000	Everton	£250,000
Robbie Simpson	England	2006–2007	Cambridge City	Undisclosed Fee	Coventry City	£40,000	Coventry City	£40,000

Other notable players include Wilf Mannion, the only former Cambridge player to be inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, former Charlton Athletic manager Les Reed and Lindsey Smith, voted Cambridge United's all-time cult hero in a poll for BBC Sport's Football Focus in August 2004.

Notable managers

Main article: List of Cambridge United F.C. managers

Since 1970, Cambridge United has had eighteen full-time managers and a host of caretakers and player-managers. The incumbent manager is Martin Ling who took over from Gary Brabin in August 2009

Years	Manager	Noteworthiness
1967–1974	Bill Leivers	Cambridge United's first Football League manager Won promotion to Division Three in 1973
1974–1978	Ron Atkinson	Cambridge's most famous former manager Won Fourth Division in 1977
1990–1992	John Beck	Cambridge's most successful manager Won Fourth Division playoffs in 1990; guided team to FA Cup Sixth Round (first Fourth Division team to reach this stage) Won Third Division in 1991; guided team to FA Cup Sixth Round for second successive season Took United to Second Division playoffs in 1992 (to reach inaugural Premier League)
2001–2004	John Taylor	Fan's cult hero as a player after becoming all-time leading goalscorer – took over as manager after John Beck's unsuccessful second spell
2004	Claude Le Roy	Unveiled as new manager amid much media hype by then chairman Gary Harwood, but ended up as a PR disaster after it emerged no contract had ever actually been signed.

Honours and achievements

• Football League Division Two
  • Fifth place (Play Off semi-finalists): 1991–92

• Football League Division Three
  • Winners (1): 1990–91
  • Runners-up (1): 1977–78

• Football League Division Four/Division Three (after 1992)
  • Winners (1): 1976–77
  • Runners-up (1): 1998–99
  • Play Off winners (1): 1989–90
  • Promoted: 1972–73

• Conference National:
  • Runners-Up/Play Off finalists (2): 2007–08, 2008–09.

• Southern League Premier Division
  • Winners (2): 1968–69, 1969–70

• FA Cup
  • Quarter-finals (2): 1989–90, 1990–91

• Football League Cup
  • Quarter-finals (1): 1992–93

• Football League Trophy
  • Runners-up (1) 2001–02

• Southern League Cup
  • Winners (1): 1968–69

Records

Scorelines

• Biggest League Win:
  • 7 – 0 (v Weymouth, Conference National, March 2007)
  • 7 – 0 (v Forest Green Rovers, Conference National, September 2009)
• Biggest Cup Win: 5 – 1 (v Bristol City, FA Cup 5th Round Second Replay, 1990)
• Biggest League Defeat:
  • 0 – 6 (v Aldershot F.C., Division Three, 1974)
  • 0 – 6 (v Darlington, Division Four, 1974)
  • 0 – 6 (v Chelsea, Division Two, 1983)
• Biggest Cup Defeat: 0 – 7 (v Sunderland, League Cup Second Round, 2002)

Players

• Most Goals in One Game: 5 – Steve Butler (v Exeter City, April 1994)
• Most League Appearances: 416 – Steve Spriggs (1975–1987)
• Youngest Player: Andy Sinton – 16 years and 228 days (v Wolverhampton Wanderers, November 1982)
• Oldest Player: John Taylor – 39 years (during 2003–04 season)
• Highest Transfer Fee Paid: £190,000 – Steve Claridge (from Luton Town, November 1992)
• Highest Transfer Fee Received: £1,500,000 – Trevor Benjamin (to Leicester City, July 2000)

Club

• Most League Points in a Season: 86 (Conference National), (2007–2008, 2008–09) in English football
• Most League Goals in a Season: 87 (Division Four, 1976–77)
• Record Attendance: 14,000 (v Chelsea, May 1970
• Record Gate Receipts: £86,308 (League Cup Second Round Second Leg, October 1992)

See also

• List of Fan Owned Teams

References

• Attmore, Brian (2002). Cambridge United FC (100 Greats). NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524272-4-5.
• Attmore, Brian and Nurse, Graham (2001). Cambridge United FC – Images of Sport. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524225-6-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Daw, Paul (1988). United in Endeavour: History of Abbey United/Cambridge United Football Club, 1912–88. Dawn Publications. ISBN 0-9514108-0-6.
• Palmer, Kevin (2000). Cambridge United: The League Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-8742873-2-5.

External links

• The Cambridge United Website: official website of the club
• Cambridge United News: Cambridge United News from Cambridge News
• Cambridge Fans United: website of Cambridge Fans United, the main fans' group associated with Cambridge United and a significant shareholder in the club
• Cambridge United on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures