Dave Matthews-Jones SLO Programme Article - Morecambe

This afternoon we welcome the supporters, officials and playing staff of Morecambe to the Abbey Stadium. We also welcome some of our former players including Hall of Famers Derrick Christie, Steve Fallon, Tom Finney and Malcolm Webster who will be joined by Keith Lockhart, Richard Key and Andy Hollis in the Signature Suite. Why not say hello to them after the match. All supporters from all of home stands are welcomed to use the facility after every match, so why not arrange to meet friends and family in there for a drink today or after future games.

When the club celebrated it centenary in 2012 one of the events to celebrate this occassion was to create a club museum. At the time there wasn’t any room to create a permanent location, so I set about setting up an online one called. It is still on line at www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk so have a look. During the following years with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund and a small but dedicated group of individuals the museum has grown in size and now has a permanent location in addition to the on-line site. If you have never seen or visited the museum it is situated inside the Supporters Club and well worth a visit.
In addition to what is on shown there are on-line databases to maintain for example a complete list of matches since the club’s formation and a collection of programmes. It is hoped that one day coconuts will have a complete collection of Abbey United and Cambridge United programmes. Most of the programmes since 1970 are now in place, however there are still gaps in the collection before that date. Particularly rare are the Abbey United and early fifties programmes. If you are aware of any please contact the group via 100yearsofcoconuts@gmail.com

One particular individual Andrew Bennett was a real inspiration to the group. We were very fortunate to have him involved in the project. Andrew sadly passed away, however, he left behind an incredible legacy with his books, databases and match day reports. It was through all his work that the Coconuts & Celery book series was produced. Without the research he carried out there would never have been a permanent written history of the club. There are now plans in place for the next edition to be released shortly.

At the beginning of the article, we mentioned the Hall of Fame. The HOF recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development, success and history of Cambridge United. These are not just players but also those who have worked in the background of the club helping to make difference. There are now 41 inductees and their details can be found on line at http://www.cuhalloffame.org.uk/index.php
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To ensure that 100yearsofcoconut museum continues to grow and maintain the level of information/artifacts it needs new blood to maintain and keep it alive. If you have a love of history either as a volunteer or a fellow supporter wanting to be involved contact the group via the email above. History needs to be kept and for it to continue into the future it needs the baton to be handed on from one generation to the next, otherwise the memories and store it will be lost forever