Tom Youngs, a popular, all-action forward who played for the U's between 1997 and 2003. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014, he returned to the Abbey in August 2016 to field questions and sign copies of his book, What Dreams Are (Not Quite) Made Of.

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The weather wasn't too kind, but the crowds still flocked to Abbey People's Big Lunch, held on Dudley Road Rec, Cambridge on Sunday, June 12. There they found 100 Years of Coconuts volunteers manning a stall and offering the chance to have a go at the coconuts.

Read more here
http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/blog/june-13th-2016

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The history of Abbey/Cambridge United Football Club, its people and its community is on display at Cambridge United Supporters' Club in Newmarket Road, thanks to 100 Years of Coconuts and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Titled The Story of the U's, the mini-museum recounts the tale of a football club that grew from the humblest of beginnings to claim a place on the national stage – supported every step of the way by the dedicated work of its fans.

Read more here http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/the-story-of-the-us.html

The Story of the U's is open to Supporters' Club members and their guests during normal club opening hours.

Not a member? Email 100yearsofcoconuts@gmail.com to arrange a visit.

To join Cambridge United Supporters' Club, call in, phone 01223 241771 or email email@cufc-supportersclub.co.uk.

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Keep calm and muddle through

Abbey United carried on throughout the Second World War, as Andrew Bennett's comprehensive record shows.

​While Abbey United were losing at Histon on May Day 1939, Adolf Hitler was making a speech in which he claimed: ‘I am a lover of peace.’ Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, and the Government decreed: ‘Sports gatherings and all gatherings for purposes of entertainment and amusement, whether outdoor or indoor which involve large numbers congregating together, are prohibited until further notice.’

That stance soon softened, and an ad hoc series of leagues and cups developed, regionalised due to petrol rationing. The turnover of players was rapid as men joined up and moved around with their units, and many famous names appeared as guests for clubs and services teams: Dixie Dean and Alex James were just two of the stars who appeared on Abbey United’s humble turf during the war years.

Read more here  http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/the-war-years.html

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Tickle Sanderson: Memories of pre-war Cambridge & the club that became Cambridge United

He was born in Chesterton in 1920, and he's believed to be the oldest living Abbey United player. Herbert Sanderson has been known as Tickle since his childhood – listen to the first part of his Radio Coconuts interview, recorded in April 2016, to find out why.

The speedy outside right first played for Abbey United in 1938, and he went on to make 69 appearances, scoring 23 goals, as war affected football as much as it did every other aspect of life in Britain.

Listen to Tickle's story here  to RADIO COCONUTS here

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When former United manager Roy McFarland joined his old captain Paul Wanless for a sportsman’s dinner in aid of the club’s Youth and Community Trust in December 2011, he shared a few moments with Matt Ramsay.

Roy McFarland represented England on 28 occasions and spent 14 years as a Derby County player, winning two First Division titles along the way. As a manager he oversaw promotions for Bradford City in his first job and Burton Albion in his last, but he is most fondly remembered in these parts as being the boss who guided the U’s to promotion from Division Three in 1998/99. It was management that he spoke about first.

Read more below

http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/roy-mcfarland.html

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Fabulous Baker boy

Better late than never … Gerry Baker was the guest of 100 Years of Coconuts and the club on Saturday, 21 November 2015, and it was a delight to see 1960s centre half and all-round nice guy. The words below are an edited extract from the programme of that date.

Voices were raised in the pubs of King’s Lynn. Strong words were uttered in the Tuesday Market Place. Anger and incomprehension were expressed in forthright terms on the quayside. What the dickens, red-faced townspeople demanded to know, was the football club thinking?

http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/blog/fabulous-baker-boy

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Cambridge United Blast From The Past: Colin Meldrum helps U’s prove a point on Football League debut

When Cambridge United kick off away to Carlisle today it will be exactly 45 years since the club made its Football League bow.

August 15, 1970 will be a date always remembered in the U's history, the 1-1 draw against Lincoln City at the Abbey making their League debut a decent one.

Terry Eades was in the United starting line-up on that historic occasion, which was made possible by the club being elected to the old Division Four at the expense of Bradford Park Avenue, who replaced them in non-League.

"I can't believe it's that long ago," said Eades. "I was only 10 when I was playing then – I wish!

Read more here 

Watch the first United league goal from Colin Meldrum here on the 100yearsofcoconuts site

On this day in 1970 saw Patricia Palinkas becomes 1st woman pro football player (Orlando)

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Listen to Dave Matthew-Jones (Cambridge Fans United Chairman) talking with Julian Clover on Cambridge 105 about recent announcements.  A very informative interview about the history of Cambridge United and how 100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk has an exciting future following the Heritage Lottery Funding announcement.  Their interview also discusses players, the proposals for the Abbey Stadium and much more.

A great insight to what CFU is all about.  Hear the full interview with Dave Matthew-Jones here.

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Cambridge chairman Dave Doggett says the club are not overspending, despite a number of high-profile signings.

Read story here

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Position: Project Manager
Organisation: Cambridge Fans United
Location: Cambridge, UK
Job Type: Contract
Contract Type: Fixed term
Salary: £15K pa

Closing Date: Monday, June 15

Cambridge Fans United, the supporters’ trust for Cambridge United fans, needs a freelance project manager to take its online museum of club history, 100 Years of Coconuts, to a new level. 

Over the course of a two-year Heritage Lottery Fund-supported project, you will work with existing volunteers, and recruit others, to establish and manage an exhibit on Cambridge United history within the club’s stadium complex. You will also launch and manage a former players’ association and a Cambridge United hall of fame. 

A major focus of the project will be community engagement, so you will find yourself explaining the exhibit to visitors, working with schools to complement their curricula and mounting pop-up displays at local museums and community events. 

Liaising with the CFU Trust Board, the football club and its community trust, the Supporters' Club, schools, museums, community groups, local government and the media, you will evaluate outcomes and report back to the HLF and CFU, while maintaining and continuing the development of the existing online museum, www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk; all this while ensuring the project budget is adhered to. 

Skills? Those needed to carry out all that in a dedicated and professional way, and familiarity with Modes software is also essential. 

Experience? All of the above, and you will be at ease co-ordinating and managing volunteers and, on the other hand, working unsupervised.

It is desirable that you live in or near Cambridge and have a deep knowledge of the history and social history of football (specialising in Cambridge United), as well as an affinity with the aims of a club rooted in its community. There will be early morning, evening and weekend work, and the job will pretty much take up your whole working week. DBS disclosure will be necessary. 

Your interview will get off to a flying start if you can explain why coconuts are so special to Cambridge United supporters.

7 The Brambles 
Bar Hill 
Cambridge 
CB23 8SZ

David Matthew-Jones
Chairman, Cambridge Fans United Trust Board
d.matthewjones@btinternet.com

100 Years of Coconuts was launched, in the form of the online museum www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk, in 2012 to mark the centenary of Abbey United/Cambridge United. An initial HLF-funded project enabled the collection of oral history, a performance of Victorian-style football and the preservation of artefacts and memorabilia.

Since 2012, ‘Coconuts’ volunteers have expanded their sphere of activities to encompass a relaunch of the website with additional features, a lively social media presence, further oral history collection, an events programme and the creation of merchandise bearing the ‘Happy Harry’ logo.

Coconuts research has unearthed new information about the early years of Abbey United, the people who worked to establish it and the Barnwell/Abbey/Fen Ditton area in which it developed. Research is continuing and the results will be announced when it is complete.

About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, since 1994 the Heritage Lottery Fund has not only revitalised hundreds of museums, parks, historic buildings, landscapes and wildlife sites, but has also given new meaning to heritage itself. People from every walk of life are now involved with the heritage that inspires them, making choices about what they want to keep and share from the past, for future generations. HLF has supported more than 33,000 projects, allocating over £5 billion across the UK, including £413 million to projects across the East of England region alone. Website: www.hlf.org.uk.

For further information, images and interviews, please contact

Dave Matthew-Jones, Chairman of Cambridge Fans United Trust Board:

M: 07703 274034
E: d.matthewjones@btinternet.com

Or see the recruitment page for the position here.

100 Years of Coconuts, Cambridge Fans United’s (CFU) online museum of Cambridge United history, has received a major grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to enable it to open a ‘real life’ exhibit on the football club’s history at the Abbey Stadium.

Led by volunteers including supporters and local residents, the £50,000-plus project will tell the U’s story via an exhibit in the Cambridge United Supporters’ Club and pop-up displays at museums and community events. Visits to schools are also being planned, and students will be invited to the exhibit to learn how their local League football club has developed as part of their community.

The exhibit and pop-ups will consist of displays of documents, photography, artefacts and memorabilia, plus interpretative material and rolling oral history video displays.

The HLF funding will also support the establishment of a Cambridge United Former Players’ Association and a U’s Hall of Fame.

CFU, the Cambridge United supporters’ trust, launched 100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk in 2012 as United celebrated its centenary, having been founded as Abbey United in 1912. CFU Chairman David Matthew-Jones said: “The fantastic news of the HLF funding has inspired us all to take Coconuts project to another level.

“With the support of the HLF, the club and its Community Trust, we will be able to tell the extraordinary story of how Abbey/Cambridge United grew out of the Barnwell community and has continued to reflect and serve that community, while expanding its appeal and influence to a much wider region.

“Cambridge United is more than a football club. It’s also about people working together on and off the pitch to make lives better – and it’s always been that way.

“There is a fascinating story to be told about people working hard and selflessly to achieve their goals, on and off the pitch. We are so pleased to be able to tell that story.

“We are also excited about the creation of a former players’ association and hall of fame. We see all these initiatives as a way of bringing the Cambridge United extended family closer together.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said: “We are looking forward to hearing about the fascinating stories that emerge about the history of Cambridge United. It is a unique opportunity to capture and record the memories of players and supporters and to share their heritage with the wider community.”

The two-year HLF-funded project will begin in June. Meanwhile, supporters and others can gain a taste of things to come at the Abbey People Big Lunch on Sunday, June 7, 12 noon at Dudley Road recreation ground. Coconuts volunteers will man a stall and coconut shy.