Apart from a small number of season tickets which still have some issues to resolve.

All of the season tickets have now been sent out

Please allow a period of time for the post to deal with delivery You should receive it shortly .

Thank you to Gareth and Lorriane for all their work in getting this completed

If you are going to Braintree to watch the U's at Braintree on the Friday 20th July please see below information

Braintree club website see www.braintreetownfc.org.uk/

Kick off 7.30pm Adults £10 Concessions and under 18's £5

One of the loveliest sights each day is to watch the birds around the ground. There are blackbirds, finches, birds of prey etc

The compound has got some Green Finches that feed off the insects on has on the salt pile. They take little notice of anyone walking into the compound or working there

The wagtails on the pitch are lovely to watch catching the insects and midgets that live on the grass. The grace of movement is hypnotic and you can easily spend five minutes just watching them moving around the area.

Earlier in the month there were seven of them on the pitch at one time dancing their way around while catching their prey.

Going through the photos from earlier in the week is one of Ian marking the pitch. Zoom into the picture and you will see all the midgets etc in the top left hand corner. It looks like rain there are so many.

The sun may be out but wearing sunglasses can stop them getting in your eyes etc.

We are asking for your help and advice before the season begins concerning the match day programme-

See the questions below - if you have a view or would like to be involved - please contact me via the contact form at the bottom of the article.

a, what are the articles that you particularly like or would like to see included in the match day programme that are currently not? Y ou may have seen one in another clubs programme and thought I like that one.

b. would you like to write for the programme a regular article or contribute on an ad hoc basis? If a regular article is there a subject you would particuarly like to write about?

Thank you

The match day team are putting together a list of music that could be used on match days during the season.

If you have a personal favourite or heard a tune somewhere that could be added  and would enhance the match day experience  please contact me via the email form below  with the name of the artist and song.

Alan Burge has painted the black gate on the Habbin half way line. The design is based on a front cover of a club handbook from the fifties and was split Amber and Black

His next job is to give the players tunnel a freshen up in time for the new season

Having painted the dug outs during previous weeks the finishing touch was provided today when the Astro turf in front of them was fitted by Ian

The Artificial grass was kindly donated by Florstor who have been wonderful supporters of club over the years

PS - Nelson would like to apologise to anyone he offended in his article yesterday. He has been told off and warned about his future behavior. He will be sent elsewhere if he is so rude again. However, tonight he on his perch watching over the grass

Photographs by Alan Burge and Paul Harrison show Ian fitting the grass and progress through the day

 Nelson was watching all the work going on around him this past few days. Luckily by turning his head 360 degrees nothing passes him by without him seeing it. Even Alan having a afternoon nap day does not get by him.

Here is his report on what has been going on -

I wasn't impressed by some of the footwear being worn today by some members of the team.. Peter looked more interested in the cat walk, than painting the yellow lines. The shoes were well dodgy.  What do you think (see below) ?

More areas of the ground were converted to Amber - Alan painted some additional areas in the main stand on the top of the stair wells. Alan was having an afternoon nap today in the main stand. (Nothing gets by Nelson)

Gary completed the the pointing on the South Stand that needed doing. The pointing has cracked and needs to be scrapped out and replaced. With the heat the cement dries out quite quickly and needs using fast. Thankfully Gary is quite fit for his age and got all the work done without too much trouble.

Ian was cutting the grass and marking out the pitch. Not sure who he thinks he is in the sun glasses. I think he is having a mid life crisis and thinks he is twenty again. We all think the look would be okay in Only Fools and Horses with him at the wheel of a traders reliant robin. Perhaps they are reason for his problem with hosepipes

Mick mended steps and hung things on the walls. He wasn't coming anymore this week. I am reliably informed he is back tomorrow. Think he misses me.

Les was on the bridge again today. He has spent almost all the summer doing them. Looking forward to seeing him being allowed back in the ground shortly. He has served his apprenticeship and should be allowed to do more work inside the ground Local residents have offered him food and drinks he been out there so long,  they think he is homeless.

The windows in the Main Stand have been washed. They sparkle now and perhaps that is why Ian is wearing sunglasses. He said it was to stop the flying ants and fly's.

Anyway the clean glass means I can see my good looks better in the reflection.

I will report again shortly -

Nelson the Owl ( A birds eye report)

Please see details of the match day tickets for the Millwall match. Any questions please contact me via the email form below

The Habbin North will not be open for this match  - 

see link for match day tickets
 cufc.venuetoolbox.com/VenueManagement/asp/bookTickets.asp?homeArea=home&dept=Spectators

Cambridge United make their long-awaited return to the Abbey Stadium on Saturday 21st July, against Championship Millwall.

Don’t miss it, with tickets available online, in-store and by calling 01223 566 500 now!

As the build up to the 2018/19 season continues, the U’s welcome Neil Harris’ Millwall outfit to the Abbey Stadium as the Lions too go through preparations for their upcoming campaign in the English second tier having narrowly missed out on the play-offs last year.

Millwall ticket prices are as follows:

SEATED
Adult - £15
Concession - £10
Junior - £5
TERRACE:
Adult - £12
Concession - £8
Junior - £4

HOSPITALITY
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the first game back at the Abbey in style with our Club Cambridge hospitality offering within the Premier Travel Hospitality Suite.

Club Cambridge places for the visit of the Lions are on sale NOW, priced at a reduced £35 including VAT. Included in the package is:

• Pie, mash, peas meal
• A complimentary pint or soft drink (From a pre-selected list)
• First team player appearances
• Premium seats for the match
• 
  

Please call 01223 632 125 or email commercial@cambridge-united.co.uk to register an interest today.

There have been some questions raised about season tickets  and the request for information about why some supporters have received them and others have not.

The season tickets were delivered last week in no particular order .

The priority was to sort them by surname into alphabetical order.  They then needed being put into order by name, family and multiple orders.

The surname letters with the fewest season tickets have been sent out first..

The surnames starting with more popular letters are still being sorted and sent as soon as everything is ready to do so.

In addtion to the season tickets there are a number of shirt orders needing processing and in some cases the names printed on them. These are also being done.

The season tickets will all be sent within the next 10 days. Everyone should receive the season ticket by the first match.

I hope this helps explain the position

Another area I have wanted to improve since we started was the door at the corner of the NRE and Habbin in the floodlights area.

Today, it was painted  black and another area improved. There will be a little twist added later in the week

Thank you for your continued support of the CUFC Lottery.

CUFC Lottery 'Accumulator' Results (13 July 2018) - this weeks winning 'Accumulator' numbers are (1302)
-there were no winners of the weekly 'Accumulator' this week, meaning next weeks 'Accumulator' will be £2300.

CUFC Lottery 'Main Draw' Results (13 July 2018) - this weeks winning 'Main Draw' numbers are (4712)
-there were no winners of the 'Main Draw' jackpot this week.
-next weeks 'Main Draw' jackpot will be £300.00.

As the 'Main Draw' jackpot was not won this week
-there are 0 Lottery members matching the first pair
-there are 6 CUFC Lottery members matching the second pair winning £10.00 each

If you are a winner of either the 'Accumulator' or 'Main Draw' you will be notified individually by email.

Yours sincerely,
The CUFC Lottery Team.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE LOTTERY

Find out more about the lottery below

What is the CUFC Play2win lottery?
 
The lottery is run and administered by volunteer fans of Cambridge United FC as a sub group of Cambridge Fans United. The lottery is run in association with Cambridge United Football Club.

Aims
 The lottery aims to raise funds for

•  fans' amenities  at The Abbey stadium
•  local community projects.

How does the lottery work?
Each member is issued with a four digit lottery number.
Each week there are two draws held:
                The first is for a weekly prize – currently £300.
Using a random number generator the winning four digit number is drawn.

The member holding the four digit number in the same order wins the first prize.

If there is no winner then runner-up prizes will be awarded to those members holding either the first two or last two digits in the correct position and order.
               
The second draw is for the jackpot accumulator.

The jackpot is again drawn using the random number generator and, as with the weekly draw, the member holding the four digit number in the same order wins the jackpot amount.
If there is no winner the jackpot increases week by week by £50 until the maximum (currently £2500) is reached .

How much is membership and what happens to the money?
Each lottery membership costs £2.00 per week. Payment can be made by cash, cheque or bank standing order. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, half yearly or annually.

95pence is paid into a Prize Fund.  This fund can only be used for prizes – the greater the number of lottery memberships, the larger the prizes.

5pence is paid into a Cost Fund. Although the lottery is run by volunteers, there are costs for licences, printing, web charges etc. Any surplus after costs is fed back into the lottery to provide, for example, additional prize draws.

70pence is paid into a fund for fan amenities in the Abbey Stadium.

30pence is paid into a Community Fund used for community projects in the Cambridge area.
 
With Play2Win everyone can support both the Club and the community and have some fun whilst doing it! 

Thanks for your interest and ...Good luck in the draw! Click here to join

Another week drew to the close and some more tasks were completed. Some are temporary, some permanent.

Last week the goalposts were painted and the lines added to grass. The nets were washed.

Cut Throat building was completed with all the windows now painted. The second bridge over the brook is now done. The third one saw the metal work being done last week.

The two dug outs now match

Settle in for a long read on the brief Cambridge United career of England winger Johnny Hancocks, and the even shorter stint of fellow wide man Bobby Langton.

The news travelled fast round the workplaces, homes and pubs of Cambridge on 11 January 1960: United had signed two more Wilfs!

It was not much more than two years since the great Wilf Mannion's last game in Cambridge United colours. Now it seemed player-coach Alan Moore had compensated for the loss of the legendary inside forward by snapping up two fellow England internationals.

Johnny Hancocks, an FA Cup winner with Wolves and the possessor of three England caps, looked destined for the outside right position at Newmarket Road, while Bobby Langton, capped 11 times while playing for Blackburn, Preston and Bolton, was a powerful left winger with a terrific shot.

Their international careers had been overshadowed by those of the peerless Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney, but their reputations were safe.

Working against them was the fact that neither could claim spring-chicken status: Hancocks was 40 when he arrived at Newmarket Road (although the Cambridge Daily News generously knocked two years off that

Read more by clicking here www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/blog/small-man-big-reputation

Following away wins against St Neots, Cambridge City & Royston the U's are on the road to Chelmsford this Saturday 14th July at the Melbourne Community Stadium

If you are thinking of traveling to the match their website can provide details of the match - see link below                       
www.chelmsfordcityfc.com/

Three players U's supporters will remember and now play for Chelmsford are Jai Reason, Elliot Omozusi and Michael Spillane

During the 1960's there was great rivalry between the sides in the Southern League challenging for the title and a place in the Footbal League. See the link for the story of this rivalry from the 100yearsofcoconuts by clicking here

Admission:
Admission prices are as follows for Saturday’s match at The Melbourne Community Stadium.
Adults £10; Concessions (including Students) £5; under-12s Free.
Tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here, or at the turnstiles on the day. Please note only cash is accepted on the day at the Melbourne Community Stadium.

Please see below the dates concerning the released Youth Team Fixtures for the 2018/2019 season

Match dates may still change and the following can only be used as guide. 

Pre season. Words that send shudders down players spine.

I’ve done a fair few over the years, and it’s safe to say they’ve changed a little bit from My first to my last, and I’m sure even more so now with the ease of getting heart monitors. They were about towards the end of my career, a few players used them at times, but the chest strap wasn’t the most comfortable! Now they’re built in with gps in the tops, so much easier to monitor players.

Although every player acknowledges the importance of pre season, and have excitement to be back at the club with his teammates, there are parts you dread.

As a youngster, my first few were done at Oxford Utd. A yts player, but for the first few days the whole club joined together. With the will to impress your gaffer, young lads tend to fly off. You soon learn pre season is a marathon. Not a sprint. Today with sports scientists this is monitored much more closely! But injuries are common, some bodies are just not used to the intensity. My first few you were considered not to have put the effort in unless you’d been physically sick. Those first few, getting on the bus to Oxford. The leaving late on the bus home, you would just crash out, and hope you woke by your stop!!

The pain I still remember, waking early morning and struggling to walk. Every muscle, every fibre screaming at you. Your mind would wonder how you would get through the relentless effort of the punishing day ahead. Long runs were common, mixed with sprints and body exercises. A ball coming out in the first week was unheard off. All you needed was your trainers, ( a phrase that was common over the seasons, “trainers only today lads”) you knew what was coming!! Hill work was another common place, at Oxford we dreaded the shout “shot over” this afternoon.

At Cambridge Roy Mcfarland loved the golf course at Royston. Unfortunately we were not there to golf! It became our base for the first three days with Roy on our return. Always started on a Thursday, there on the Friday, and Saturday was the morning long hills.

Ouch!

As you got more experienced over the years, you really geared up for the games, using it all to get your body to be as close as possible ready for the start of the season. It sounds a strange saying, he’s got to get match fit, with all the running done, and fitness work, but all those who have played will swear to the game fitness.

It is completely different. Hence why most managers first few pre season games never played a player for 90 mins. Players at the end of the season so looked forward to a break, getting away with the family, and this was generally 8 weeks. Some players would do nothing during close season, for me I did nothing for 4 weeks, then started light work building up to longer times, just to get a small base fitness. My last few pre seasons changed. Players would get 3 weeks off. Then report back to the club 2 sometimes 3 times a week for workouts. Also the player was given a training schedule. It would be quite obvious if this wasn’t done! Footballers can get there mind set to the ease of one session a day, pre season was always double sessions, sometimes triple. So returning home 6pm was a long day. (Yes I know welcome to the real world) but when during most of the season training would be from 10 am till 1 pm. Pre season was long!

Most seasons there was always the usual army camp thrown in. A few days away to be blasted by the PT (personal trainer) who always enjoyed trying to break the players. But it was also where team bonding was used. Players were split into teams, building leaders and introducing the team ethic. However now, a older man, what I would give to be able to go through pre season again. That would be the main thing I would drum into players. Being paid to be fit, and being fit is a great feeling although at the time you never feel 100%, there is always a niggle somewhere on the body. In short pre season is the start to the exciting season ahead, the mysteries yet to be unfolded, oh what I’d give to do another, the banter, the laughs, the moaning, ah I miss that all the most.

The first project of significance we completed was to create an area for supporters to use on match days in addition to the Dublin Suite area.

It had always seemed a shame that Marvin's was not used more and this was the opportunity to do so.

We took out the bench seats, old photos and started again with an empty room. We wanted a room that could be used by ages. 

The inside around the bar area was painted Amber and Black. We then had to decide whether to keep the shirts painted around room or paint the walls plain. We kept the shirts.

A new kitchen was purchased from Howdens and fitted

The outside was improved with the provision of some flowers to add colour. The flag is flying outside on the wall

Unfortunately, we later found out the roof leaked and had to get it repaired. This was kindly done by Graham. The step was also repaired by Mick & Ian. The water heater was repaired by Dave Mills and heaters/electrics by Glen Gawthrop

Additional benches were provided for the outside area when the new ones were ordered for the area behind the Habbin.

The building was ready for use by the first league match of the season.

Marvin's returned to being called the Abbey Arms when we found the old sign and immediately took the decision to put it up again.

During the past year the room has been used by community groups, the walking football team, holding 100yearsofcoconut events and meetings. It is used on a daily basis as somewhere for the volunteers tp meet and  decide the days jobs, as well as having tea breaks, dinner etc

It really served as a base and control room when the weather looked to have beaten us against Luton.

The club have used it for entertaining sponsors and footballing authorities. On match days before the match it is used for parties and mascots. For the film evening it was used a the main hospitality area. For the concert an artists area. Staff can also sit out during the week for their downtimes or to hold meetings

On match days and in particular on sunny ones, it is extremely well used. We have to find a way when the weather is not so great of increasing footfall. It is unfortunate that only the main stand spectators can use the facilities.

Long term I would love to open the room after the match for everyone to use.

It now has the following on match days available

• Hot drinks - why queue when it is old or raining outside - get a drink in the dry and warm
• Ginster pies
• Alcoholic supplied by Green King and cold drinks
  
• Sky TV -
• Match day team news

The external club shop outlet and food points are nearby

The CUFC lottery funded the tables, outdoor furniture, kitchen, television, sky installation. The provision of the items have meant the room is now being used on a daily basis and hopefully on match days it has provided an alternative to the Dublin Suite, access to an open air meeting area. We have had some more delivered in time for the new season. If you would like to join the lottery or receive more information contact us via the form below.

How can you help - send me an email via the form below with any suggestions on how we can improve the area or ideas of events etc on match days. Do you know any entertainers, face painters who might be able to use the area? We have no funding to provide it, however we could provide some publicity

If you are a spectator in the Main Stand and have not visited the Abbey Arms then why not try it on a match day.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE LOTTERY

Photographs from the Gantry - by Alan Burge

How times have changed

When I first  started at the club in 1979,  I was blessed with a high number of volunteers, Keith Wisbey, Brian Mansfield, Tom Tingey, Wally Wookes, Wally Warren to name a few but these fellas put hours of their time into ensuring the stadium always looked at its best. Over the years they slowly dropped off  until we were left with just a couple.
 
However, a new squad of skilled volunteers has been put together who at times would not look out of place in the Last of the Summer Wine or Dads Army. This group are led by our very own Captain Mathews-Jones who has drilled this group in to a well oiled machine.

Dave has everybody standing to attention at role call as the jobs are dished out. These skilled volunteers have certainly turned the clock back for me and proved what a great asset they all are to the football club, to me and Mick Brown personally.

The squad are as follow.

Team captain Dave Mathews Jones  ( Always up for the challenge and a problem solver full of wit)

Alan Amber Burge - Totally committed to painting anything amber has just undergone therapy to change colours to Red, totally committed to the cause and a great photographer recording a daily diary of events with Captain Jones. Weakness is that he cannot start work without a brew first.

Les Weston A man at the heart of our defence who is quality itself, who’s attention to detail is spot on. Happy to play up front on his own and work away until tea break is called, a person that you always want in your squad.

Wendy Twinn - CUFC very own Dot Cotton who is always busy in and around the stadium be it washing the kit or cleaning up areas of the stands , car parks etc. The group  realise that Captain Jones is a little fearful of Mrs Twinn.

Mick Radford - A man who has come under a little stick due to his height but makes up for in stature, a man of pure quality who can turn his hand to any job and when paired with Les are an unbeatable team. Mick is the early bird of the group.

Brian Thorby - A mild manner of a man who has one pace but again excels quality and is happy to paint in any colour unlike Mr Burge. Brian. Totally committed to the group and the cause.

Emma Smith - A very quite person who worked as Alan Burge’s apprentice during the first few weeks at the stadium but has now progressed to working on her own. Again using all colours when painting. Emma has been a shining example of what this group of volunteers has achieved with her commitment whilst having a home to run and a young family, picking the children up from school etc. another outstanding performance.

Terry O' Dell - A man who is very passionate about CUFC and could quite easily present Jackanory, Terry has again spent months on the brush painting areas around the stadium.

Margaret & Frank Pearson - two of the first members of the group to work at the stadium. Margaret and Frank really don’t mind what they do always 100% committed to the cause and a very high standard of work

Brian Darler - Another early bird who helps out generally with keeping the stadium clean and tidy. Offering his services whenever required, he does, however have one fault and that is he never knows when to stop.

Paul Harrison - A man who uses CUFC as a break from his role at Addenbrookes Hospital.  The hours this fella puts in at the stadium is simply amazing and he again is so supportive with all aspects of work at the ground.

Peter Ankin our yellow safety line painter who for a number of years has helped out around the stadium painting all the yellow edges to the steps around the stadium along with the Habbin stand walkways, and Pete deserves a further pat on the back as not only has he painted these areas he has in the past also purchased the paint to help the club out, Pete along with a number of the other volunteers also helps out with the cleaning of the stadium after games.

Jason & Fiona Neville again a brother and sister family partnership that help out around the stadium on their days off from their full time work.

To each and every one of you ladies and gentleman I salute you for firstly turning the clock for me , secondly making the stadium such and enjoyable place to work again with your light hearted humour and sarcasm but most importantly the standard of work you have all delivered over the past months.

It’s Coming Home

Thanks you all so very much for your support and to Dave Mathews Jones and everybody within the group you have become a great friends.
 
Ian Darler
Stadium Manager

A new face joined the team today and immediately set about with painting the white at the front of the bench seats on the Main Stands. Ben Phillips has been a supporter for  many years and his help is very welcome as the season approaches. You may also have heard Ben via his Sunday evening radio show on Cambridge105 which highlights Rhythm & blues, ska and mod revival/Two Tone music. For more info see the link  Alley Club Mods

Another positive for the team is the range of skills within it and the ability to try almost everything. Mick Radford repaired and cleaned two hovers this morning. He will be servicing another one tomorrow. His skills and knowledge from working before he retired at one of the colleges means he has tried almost everything already. Mick is also a drummer in a band playing many local venues.

With me singing it's coming home there seemed to be a good blend of musical skill and knowledge on hand today

Les finished the Habbin Bridge and the woodwork on the Main Stand accessible Stand. Tomorrow he will look at painting the brickwork there

Pete carried on with the yellow lines in the Main Stand. I wonder how long the line would be if you put them all together in one continuous line

Ian started to mark out the pitch.

Have you ever stood in the NRE or the Habbin Stands and wondered why some of the posts are painted with red and green paint?

The answer is each of the four stands have colour code for recognition. This is to aid emergency services to know which stand in an event of an emergency the one being discussed.

We may know the name of the stands as supporters, also sometimes the stands may change their names, however the emergency services can recognise them through the colour

The colours are -

Green------------Habbin
Red---------------NRE
Main Stand----- Blue
South Stand----Yellow

In the NRE & Habbin the post colours provide the recognition.

The seat colours in the South and Main Stand provide this

Cambridge City  - Club website www.cambridgecityfc.com/

The match is being played on Tuesday 10th July. Kick off 7.45 .

Cambridge City are now playing their matches at Bridge Road Histon and this will be their first friendly on the season.

Bridge Road
Impington
Cambridge
CB24 9PH

Royston - Club Website www.roystontownfc.co.uk

The match has been moved to Thursday 12th July due to another match now being being played in Russia on Wednesday evening. Apparently the FIFA are concerned that United playing will affect audience interest in the match. :-)

Admission prices:
>  Adults: £5
>  Seniors: £3
>  U16s: £1

Directions -

Garden Walk, Royston, Herts SG8 7HPPhone: 01763 241204
Royston Town Football Club is located in the centre of Royston, please click here for a map of the ground.Royston Town Football Club has very limited parking capacity. Please avoid parking in the neighbouring streets and use the main Town Hall car park, which is only a 3 minute walk away.

For your SatNav here’s the post code for the car park: SG8 7EF (off King James Way).

An edited version of this article appeared in the Cambridge United matchday programme for the game against Carlisle United on 16 April 2016.

Two characters who went on to play big roles in the Cambridge United story clashed when England played Northern Ireland at Wembley on 15 May 1974.

Roy McFarland, the home side’s assured, cultured 25-year-old centre half, was up against rather less cultured opposition in the shape of a certain Samuel John Morgan.

It didn’t go well for Roy: he was forced off with an Achilles injury after just 36 minutes, having come off worse in a challenge with our Sammy. He was neither the first nor the last to suffer that fate. 

read more here