Andrew Stephen’s Hot Off The Habbin programme article from the CUFC v Crewe match programee of 29th November 2025
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence”
Helen Keller.
We arrive today fresh from what can only be called a triumph in adversity at Barrow last Saturday. Most of our strikers are injured and we have been missing key midfielders too. Sometimes luck isn’t on your side and sometimes you can make your own luck with resilience and determination. Belief in your own ability is vital too. The passionate 250 away fans who went North at the weekend saw a performance to warm the heart. There is much to celebrate today too. 25 years of CFU, Challenge 25 and the continuing collection for a foodbank, which shows how seriously our club takes its role at the heart of the community. We have plenty of cause for optimism today too. Since 2016 we have played Crewe 9 times, winning six games and losing only one. Appere has returned from injury and the prodigious young talent of McConnell is beginning to make itself felt. It is unfortunate that Mpanzu is suspended for today’s game , having played so well last Saturday,, but we have competition for midfield places now. Hoddle looks ready to step up too and some of the senior players will be looking over their shoulders.
Not that we should underestimate the Railwaymen, who have real pedigree. They are scoring freely at the moment and their form is good but we fancy ourselves for promotion and will be flat out for a win. Crewe were founder members of the Football League’s second division and, like us, have had their moments of glory. They have always had a reputation for attractive, free flowing football and under the management of dapper Italian Dario Gradi between 1983 and 2011, produced a string of very good young players ,which was good for results and their bank balance. Gradi had the ability to produce successful teams without a big budget. To my mind that is the very definition of a successful manager. They were a pleasure to watch during those years. What a pity that those seasons were tarnished to a degree by a coach who sexually abused a number of young players before he was discovered and brought to book. Safeguarding measures would prevent such a terrible thing happening now and perhaps something good came out of all that unnecessary suffering.
The clubs have a number of players in common, notably Micky Demetriou, who is still playing for Crewe, Shilow Tracey, Jack Lancaster and some fellow named Luke Berry. Remember him ? It is no coincidence perhaps that ,even now, United seem to play so much better against skilled opposition . This season Fulham and Charlton Athletic would testify to that. We could predict a high scoring end to end thriller which almost guarantees a close run thing, like our home game in the 72-73 season where Brian Greenhalgh scored a winner in a 1-0 victory. It wasn’t pretty but it counted. Nobody expected it then but we were promoted at the end of the season. This team have the ability to make a name for itself like some of their predecessors . As fans we have much to look forward to and, as for CFU, we will be around for another 25 years ensuring that our fans’ voices are always heard.
Up the U’s!
Andrew Stephen