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Cambridge United Football Club are a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They will play in the Conference National in the 2006-07 season. Cambridge United have been one of the more successful smaller clubs in English football, reaching the play-offs to enter the inaugural Premiership in 1992, as well as the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1990 and 1991.
Significant former managers of the club include John Taylor, Roy McFarland, John Beck, Gary Johnson, Tommy Taylor, Chris Turner and Ian Atkins.
Significant former players include Dion Dublin, Jody Craddock, Steve Claridge, Danny O'Shea and John Filan.
Current situation
Since achieving promotion to Division Two in the summer of 1999, the club has suffered continual problems. Historically, United have relied on big player sales to fund wages. When the player market dried up, the directors turned to loans, supporter fund-raising and eventually a ground sale to pay debts. The two brightest prospects, Dave Kitson and John Ruddy were sold in 2004 and 2005 respectively, but debts remained at over £500,000. Cambridge United were relegated to the Conference National in April 2005 and spent four months in financial administration. Since leaving administration, United have signed Rob Newman as their manager, but he was unable to bring anything greater than a 12th place finish in the 2005-06 Conference National final table.
| No. | Player | Position | Age (start of season) | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | David Chick | Left back | 20 | 1 year |
| 4 | Andy Duncan | Centre back | 27 | 1 year |
| 5 | Mark Peters | Centre back | 33 | 1 year |
| 6 | Nick Robbins | Right back | 19 | 1 year |
| 7 | Dave Daniels | Midfield | 19 | Youth |
| 8 | David Bridges | Midfield | 22 | 1 year |
| 10 | John Turner | Forward | 19 | 1 year |
| 13 | Scott Howie | Goalkeeper | 33 | Non-contract |
| 14 | Paul Atkins | Forward | 18 | 1 year |
| 15 | Adam Davies | Centre back | 18 | Youth |
| 16 | Darren Quinton | Midfield | 19 | 1 year |
| 18 | Stephen Smith | Midfield | 18 | Youth |
| 20 | Mbiyeye Medine | Forward | 17 | 1 year |
| 21 | Michael Morrison | Centre back | 17 | 2 years |
| 22 | Dave Robertson | Midfield | 30 | Non-contract |
| 24 | Ashley Nicholls | Midfield | 23 | 1 year |
| 27 | Jamie Waite | Goalkeeper | 19 | Non-contract |
| 28 | Ritchie Hanlon | Midfield | 27 | 1 year |
| 29 | Courtney Pitt | Winger (Left) | 23 | 1 year |
| 30 | Craig Westcarr | Forward | 20 | 1 year |
| 33 | Max Porter | Midfield | 18 | 1 year |
History
From inception to the professional league
The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United (named after the Abbey district of Cambridge in which they play). They played in local amateur leagues with some success. In 1949 the club turned professional and took the name Cambridge United in 1951. They played in various non-league divisions.
The club was elected to the Football League in 1970 to replace Bradford (Park Avenue), after success in the Southern League.
Dublin, Beck and company
Cambridge United's biggest successes came in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They won the Fourth Division playoffs under John Beck in 1990, and the following year were crowned champions of the Third Division. Their key player of this era was high scoring centre forward Dion Dublin, who had joined the club on a free transfer from Norwich City in 1988. Dublin powered Cambridge to their best-ever league finish in 1992 - they finished 5th in the Second Division and qualified for the promotion playoffs, full of hope that they would complete a unique third successive promotion and play in the first season of the new Premier League. After drawing 1-1 at home in the first leg of the semi finals with Leicester City, they were hammered 5-0 in the second leg and their promotion dreams were shattered. Dublin left soon afterwards, for Manchester United in a £1million deal. He has since turned out for Coventry City, Millwall, Aston Villa, Leicester City and now Celtic. Dublin also claimed four England caps, all in friendlies in 1998, under coach Glenn Hoddle.
Post-Dublin slump
John Beck left Cambridge United at the end of the 1992-93 season when they really felt the loss of Dion Dublin and were relegated from the league's new Division One. Cambridge were relegated again in 1994-95, this time to Division Three.
Recovery in the late 90s
Tommy Taylor was appointed manager just before Cambridge's relegation to Division Three, and they were among the pre-season favourites for promotion. A 16th place finish in 1995-96 was way below expectations, but a promising start to 1996-97 gave supporters hope for promotion success. Taylor then moved to Leyton Orient and was replaced by Roy McFarland, who delivered promotion back to Division Two in 1999.
Another relegation
McFarland left the club in early 2001, with John Beck returning and saving the club from relegation, however this time around Beck was less than successful and was sacked half way through the 2001-02 season, and was replaced by veteran striker John Taylor who was given the role of player-manager. Taylor took Cambridge to the final of the LDV Vans Trophy, where they made their only appearance at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The U's were easily beaten, losing 4-1. Taylor was also unable to prevent relegation to Division Three. He remained in charge until March 2004, with Cambridge struggling in the bottom half of Division Three, when the club's board terminated his contract and named Frenchman Claude Le Roy as his successor. Le Roy won four of the remaining eight matches and kept United in the league. The following season he made way for assistant Hervé Renard, who in turn lasted just five months before being sacked and replaced by Steve Thompson.Loss of league status
Thompson was unable to save Cambridge from relegation and their demotion to the Nationwide Conference - after 35 years in the Football League - was confirmed on April 23 2005. This downfall comes just 14 years after the club won the old Third Division title, and just 13 years after they almost gained promotion to the inaugural season of the Premier League. With no prospect of repaying its debts of nearly £1 million, the Club filed for administration on 29 April. As part of a cost-cutting exercise, Thompson and four other backroom staff were sacked by the administrators. Coach Rob Newman took over as team manager.Club saved
On the 22nd 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 sports minster Richard Caborn, and had no worries about starting the 2005-06 Conference National campaign.Financial situation and collapsed merger
Financial troubles remain, although with the burden of huge debts now lifted, and in December 2005 it was revealed that the club were in talks with their city neighbours Cambridge City F.C. about a possible merger. It was suggested by both parties that Cambridge, with a population of only 110,000, was not big enough to support two professional football clubs and a merger would be beneficial for both teams and would guarantee the future of at least one team in the city. However, both sets of fans reacted badly to the news citing their club's individual identities as obstacles, with City fans particluarly anxious that it would be a takeover by United rather than a merger.Management difficulties
Long standing Club Chairman Reg Smart resigned from his role in early 2002 after 12 years in charge. Following brief stints from Gary Harwood (2002-5) and Roger Hunt (2005-6), Terry Baker to took over the reigns in February 2006. However, Baker's tenure ended suddenly at a Board meeting on 5th June 2006 citing unworkable relationships within the board as his reason for resignation, which led to the appointment of Brian Attmore (Fans' Director) as Acting Chairman on June 6th. The fallout from this event led major shareholder Paul Parry to claim there are "deep divisions within the club at staff and board level" and that a new board had to be put in place to ensure stability at the club so that it could achieve the aim of promotion back to the Football League. Any new board would have to continue to deal with financial troubles which were reaffirmed with the news in late June 2006 that fans group Cambridge Fans United had loaned the club £20,000 to pay wages.League history
| Division | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Division 4 | 1970/1 to 1972/3 (promoted 3rd of 24) |
| Division 3 | 1973/4 (relegated 21st of 24) |
| Division 4 | 1974/5 to 1976/7 (promoted 1st of 24) |
| Division 3 | 1977/8 (promoted 2nd of 24) |
| Division 2 | 1978/9 to 1983/4 (relegated 22 of 22) |
| Division 3 | 1984/5 (relegated 24 of 24) |
| Division 4 | 1985/6 to 1989/90 (6 of 24, promoted as divisional play off winners) |
| Division 3 | 1990/1 (promoted 1st of 24) |
| Division 2 | 1991/2 (Premier league founded) |
| Division 1 | 1992/3 (relegated 23rd of 24) |
| Division 2 | 1993/4 to 1994/5 (relegated 20th of 24) |
| Division 3 | 1995/6 to 1998/9 (promoted 2nd of 24) |
| Division 2 | 1999/2000 to 2001/2 (relegated 24th of 24) |
| Division 3 | 2002/3 to 2003/4 |
| League Two | 2004/5 (relegated 24th of 24) |
| Conference National | 2005/6 |
Ex-players
Cambridge United have a reputation for developing and discovering excellent young footballers. Since 1992, they have made more than £7,000,000 by selling players. Some of the players who have passed through the Abbey and on to greater recognition include:
| Player | When | Bought from | For | Sold to | For | Largest Fee | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Sinton | 1983-85 | Trainee | Brentford | £25,000 | Sheffield Wednesday | £2,750,000 | |
| Alan Kimble | 1986-93 | Exeter | Free | Wimbledon | £175,000 | Wimbledon | £175,000 |
| Dion Dublin | 1988-92 | Norwich | Free | Manchester United | £1,000,000 | Aston Villa | £5,750,000 |
| Phil Chapple | 1988-93 | Norwich | Charlton Athletic | £100,000 | Charlton Athletic | £100,000 | |
| Liam Daish | 1989-92 | Portsmouth | Free | Birmingham City | £500,000 | Coventry City | £1,500,000 |
| Lee Philpot | 1989-92 | Peterborough | Free | Leicester | £350,000 | Leicester | £350,000 |
| Steve Claridge | 1990-92 | Aldershot | £75,000 | Luton | £160,000 | Leicester | £1,200,000 |
| Gary Rowett | 1991-94 | Trainee | Everton | £200,000 | Leicester | £3,000,000 | |
| Jon Sheffield | 1991-95 | Aldershot | Free | Peterborough | £150,000 | Peterborough | £150,000 |
| Steve Claridge | 1992-94 | Luton | £195,000 | Birmingham | £350,000 | Leicester | £1,200,000 |
| John Filan | 1993-95 | Budapest St. George | £40,000 | Coventry | £300,000 | Blackburn Rovers | £700,000 |
| Carlo Corazzin | 1993-96 | Vancouver 86ers | £20,000 | Plymouth Argyle | £150,000 | Plymouth Argyle | £150,000 |
| Jody Craddock | 1993-97 | Christchurch | Free | Sunderland | £300,000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £1,750,000 |
| Danny Granville | 1993-97 | Trainee | Chelsea | £300,000 | Leeds | £1,600,000 | |
| Micah Hyde | 1993-97 | Trainee | Watford | £250,000 | Watford | £250,000 | |
| Trevor Benjamin | 1995-00 | Trainee | Leicester | £1,500,000 | Leicester | £1,500,000 | |
| Martin Butler | 1997-00 | Walsall | £22,500 | Reading | £750,000 | Reading | £750,000 |
| Zema Abbey | 2000-00 | Hitchin | Norwich | £350,000 | Norwich | £350,000 | |
| Dave Kitson | 2001-03 | Arlesey Town | Nominal | Reading | £150,000 | Reading | £150,000 |
| John Ruddy | 2004-05 | Trainee | Everton | £250,000 | Everton | £250,000 |
Honours
- FA Cup best sixth round: 1989-90 (lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace), 1990-91 (lost 2-1 to Arsenal)
- Football League Division Three (old) champions: 1990-91
- Football League Division Four (old) champions: 1976-77
- Football League Division Four (old) play off winners: 1985-86
- Highest league placing: Football League Division Two (old) 5th: 1991-92
Records
- Biggest win: 6-0 v Darlington, 18 September 1971; 6-0 v Hartlepool United, February 1989
- Biggest defeat: 0-7 v Sunderland, October 2002 (League Cup second round)
Fandom
Cambridge United has a fanzine, United in Endeavour. The fanzine was started in July 2004 by Matt Caspell and is sold at most home matches around the ground. Profits from the fanzine go to the Supporter's Trust Cambridge Fans United who pioneer to give the fans greater influence in the club.
External links
- The Cambridge United Website: the official website of the club
- Cambridge Fans United: website of Cambridge Fans United, the main fans' group associated with Cambridge United
- The club's fanzine United in Endeavour: website of United in Endeavour, the club's only fanzine
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