 Robert Osbourn’s “View from the Van” The CFU caravan is, as many will know, something of a misnomer given that it is, in reality, a former food catering trailer badged with CFU logos and a wide service hatch down one side. Nevertheless, it serves its purpose pretty well, acting as both a base for CFU on matchdays and as a sales point for the football club so far as programmes, 50/50 draw tickets and other items are concerned. On a matchday, the CFU ‘van can be found in the front car park at the Abbey Stadium, close to the road, having been manhandled into place from its usual resting place betwixt the Newmarket Road End turnstiles and the side wall of the Supporters Club. My usual routine before matches is to stock up with programmes and 50/50 tickets, before hauling the ‘van through the side gate leading to the driveway. If I’m lucky, one of the stewards will be able to lend a hand or I’ll try to grab a friendly passer-by – even the club Chairman has found himself in the right place at the right time, on occasion! After rearranging the furniture (removing the noticeboards to the outside) and sorting out the stock, it’s usually “shutters going up” – a bit like Dinnerladies – about two and a half hours before kick-off, when regular early arrivals appear for their usual orders. The myriad of other delights which the CFU ‘van offers include, as you would expect, the facility to join CFU or to renew a subscription. You can also sign up for membership of the CUFC Lottery, which is managed and run by Brian Thorby and a small group of other CFU members. The numbers involved are growing steadily and this means that the prize fund is bigger and more is raised for the club and its charities. At just £2 a week, it is a great way of supporting Cambridge United. We also have CUFC Legends scratchcards at £1 and a full set of 32 will get you a free poster to display them. 100 Years of Coconuts has a variety of merchandise, including polo shirts, sweatshirts, and hats available to order in several colour choices, with the regular “Happy Harry” logo and now the colourful and very popularl retro club logo. Delivery is usually a week from ordering. We also have a selection of coasters and fridge magnets. The ‘van also acts as a base for the Abbey Helpers – the folk in purple T shirts who distribute sweeties as well as welcoming fans to games. It is the collection and return point for the Audio Description headsets which allow fans (home and visiting) whose eyesight is poor to receive a detailed description of all the action on the pitch from our team of dedicated describers, and this is really appreciated by them. (Idea: maybe some refs could benefit from having a set…..?) My partner in crime at the ‘van is Terry Wilby, CFU’s Membership Secretary, who brings with him the card payment device which allows CFU members who are without cash to use their card to settle their subs. We have stocks of CFU books such as “100 Years – 50 Memorable matches” and Wendy “Woo” Johnson’s matchday poetry – good value - just £4. When available, we also have player topped cupcakes, loving crafted by Lyndsey Halbert, and available to pre-order in boxes of 4 or 6. Our regular customers stop by for a football chat and often ask the question “Is Dave about?” Of course, Dave Matthew Jones is usually about and sometimes we can even find him! Do pay us a visit. We shall be pleased to see you and to relieve you of some cash in the cause of Cambridge United. I would, however, like to clear up any confusion about the 50/50 draw – when we sell you your tickets, they have the same chance of winning as any others – it’s the person who draws the winning numbers you should blame if your numbers are not called Click links below to Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) 
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Find out who was Man of the Match for the games against Dagenham and Barnet
Although he may have played for only the second half, Man of the Match against Dagenham was Robbie Simpson who scored two cracking goals see below video Leon Legge was Man of the Match against Barnet. Don't forget to vote for your choice after every match. Everyone can vote. 
Cambridge United, then known as Abbey United, was formed in 1912.
A hundred years later the supporters' trust, Cambridge Fans United, determined to record the story of the club. This website, developed with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund, is the result. Cambridge United has served the communities of Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties for more than a century. The club made amazing progress from its inception right through until 1970, when it was elected to the Football League. Highs and lows followed, and the club almost gained promotion to the inaugural Premier League in 1992, but the pendulum swung and United found itself in non-League football once again in 2005, only to rise once more in 2014. The entire history of those 100-plus years is either here or will be very soon. Read, watch and listen to the memories of players, managers, supporters and club employees. Explore a remarkable photographic record of people, places and memorabilia. Examine individual seasons in detail through the medium of fans' scrapbooks. And discover the story behind our logo and why our online museum is called 100 Years of Coconuts. Twitter - https://twitter.com/100yearcoconut Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/100-Years-of-Coconuts-240094772737189/?ref=hl Website - http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/ Click links below to Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference)
Cambridge United 2-1 Barnet: And don't forget the joker
Andrew Bennett re-lives festive fare at the Abbey If you like to gamble, I tell you I’m your man You win some, lose some, all the same to me The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say I don’t share your greed, the only card I need is The Ace of Spades The words of the late, great Lemmy on the day of his departure from this world are a good summary of the tenure so far at the Abbey of Shaun Derry, a breath of fresh air with a refreshingly positive attitude who is unafraid to make difficult decisions, even if inevitably he does not get them all right. His urging of his team to keep attacking in the last few minutes of today’s match made for a stark contrast with his predecessor, who would have introduced an extra defender or two and instructed his team to stay back and hang on instead of going for a third goal. 2015 has been a momentous year for Cambridge United, in which their FA Cup run set them up financially for years to come, but they had to part with Richard Money, the man who had taken them so far in his distinguished tenure but had, sad to say, taken them as far as he could. His League record in this calendar year of 10 wins, 12 draws and 17 defeats was not consistent with the club’s avowed target of a playoff place, and his hit-and-miss recruitment, bizarre tactical decisions and overall sulky, negative attitude was taking the club nowhere. "You can feel there's a buzz around the place and a real unity for probably the first time since I've come back to the club." Robbie Simpson’s words after the Boxing Day win at Dagenham say it all about how Money had lost both the plot and the dressing room and his departure was painful but vital to allow this club to progress further. Enjoy your retirement, Dickie, although if you want to give it another go at Luton, please go ahead. We would be royally entertained… Today’s visitors, Barnet’s boss, Martin Allen, has something of a younger Money about him – mad as a mongoose, forthright and unpredictable – and his recent record is also similar, rescuing his club from the clammy clutches of the Bananarama Conference and now trying to re-establish them amongst the big boys, although that description scarcely befits the fit-all-their-supporters-in-a-telephone-box likes of Dagenham, Accrington, Stevenage, Crawley, Yeovil or Morecambe. Or, indeed, Barnet. They were at least keeping their heads above the flotsam and jetsam clogging up the bottom of the League, and could boast a proven goalscoring front pairing of John Akinde and Aaron McLean, with former Abbey favourite Tom Champion tidying up in midfield and twice-former U’s striker Michael Gash on the bench. Their third former United man, Michael Nelson, was absent injured to the disappointment of those who wanted to see how he would cope with the pace and physicality of Ben Williamson and Barry Corr; something akin to a steamroller racing a Bugatti Veyron, one suspects. United line-up: Beasant; Omozusi, Legge, Roberts, Dunk; Ledson, Newton; Williamson, Simpson, Berry; Corr On the bench: Dunn, Kennedy, Coulson, Demetriou, L.Hughes, Williams, Slew Injuries sustained in the last match kept Greg Taylor and Ryan Donaldson out, so their stand-ins at Dagenham, Elliot Omozusi and Robbie Simpson, earned themselves starting spots in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ryan Ledson and Conor Newton stationed deep and Barry Corr leading the line. A rather thin-looking squad meant a first appearance on the bench for promising 18-year-old midfielder Dylan Williams, who made a good impression in pre-season in the Chris Turner memorial match at Peterborough. United should have been on the crest of a wave after putting the Daggers to the sword, but it was Barnet, clad in lilac and white hoops like an unwanted Christmas jumper, who took the game by the scruff of the neck, and initially the U’s had no response. There was nothing sophisticated about the visitors’ approach but it was highly effective, chasing and harrying to give United no time on the ball and playing it forward quickly and directly to utilise the pace of Akinde and McLean against the hosts’ less than quicksilver centre-backs. The U’s seemed to have been caught rather by surprise with the result that they could not string any sort of passing move together, were second to most balls and were caught in possession time and again. The visitors’ first scoring chance came on 10 when Akinde burst through the middle only to tumble theatrically under Sam Beasant’s advancing challenge. He was deservedly booked for diving, a habit for which he has form going back to his Ebbsfleet days in March 2008 when his acrobatics got Danny Potter sent off in United’s 2-1 defeat at Stonebridge Road. Thankfully today’s referee, David Webb, was not so gullible, although the man in black was already proving himself to be something of a laissez-faire type, letting challenges go which many others would have pulled back. Two minutes later Barnet gained a free-kick 35 yards out and McLean rather optimistically lined up a long-range shot, perhaps mindful of the soft one which Beasant had conceded from a similar distance against Mansfield just before Christmas. There was no such danger this time as it sailed upwards and smacked into the top of the NRE stand. United forced a corner on 14 and Leon Legge met it with a firm goalward header 12 yards out, only to see it flick off the head of Gavin Hoyte (not the ex-U’s defender) then cannon off the top of the bar. That was a brief respite from Barnet’s pressure, though, as the hosts simply could not get going against the visitors’ energetic onslaught. Andy Yiadom drew a comfortable save from Beasant a minute later, as did Akinde midway through the half, then Yiadom scuffed another opening wide. McLean came nearest to breaking the deadlock on 24 when he was given time and space to advance on goal and smack a thunderbolt against the bar from 25 yards, Beasant gathering the rebound gratefully. Ledson was then off target for the U’s and Champion missed with a header. Champs only scored once in 101 starts for United, the winner in a 2-1 defeat of Forest Green in September 2013, and he has netted just once for the Bees too, in their FA Cup win over Blackpool last month. The rest of the half continued in a similar pattern, Newton and Ledson unable to get a grip in midfield and Simpson, Ben Williamson and Luke Berry equally unable to make an impression on their scurrying, high-energy opponents, a team of Road Runners running rings around a collection of bewildered Wile E Coyotes. Where is an Acme Midfield Ballwinner when you need one, eh? Nonetheless Barnet could create few clearcut scoring chances until the last minute of the first half. One of their weapons, a long throw, cleared everyone at the far post and it fell unexpectedly to Yiadom inside the six-yard box, but he prodded wide as the NRE held its breath. There was still time for some shoddy defending to afford Hoyte a shot at goal, but he could not hit the target, and United were relieved to return to the dressing room level after a sluggish, outplayed first 45 minutes. Only two United substitutes initially emerged to warm up during the interval, indicating that Derry was giving his charges a thorough talking-to, and the players were eventually sent out for part two a good few minutes ahead of their counterparts. United initially threatened with a Newton up-and-under for Simpson to chase, to which he was narrowly beaten by keeper Ian Lawlor ten yards outside the box, but the match soon settled down to an identical pattern to the first half with no appreciable improvement from the men in black and amber. McLean was replaced by Gash 10 minutes after the restart, the big-boned target man not an ideal like-for-like replacement for the more fleet-footed former Posh striker. Yiadom saw a shot deflected wide on 58, and two minutes later the visitors’ pressing game finally drew dividends. Newton received the ball wide on the left in the Barnet half but dwelt on it as he looked up for someone to pass to and had it nicked off his toe by Champion, whose perceptive through ball bisected the United centre-backs and sent Akinde away and clear unchallenged. He advanced into the area before coolly slotting it past the exposed Beasant, resisting the pull of gravity this time. 1-0. Derry recognised that a change was vital to get his misfiring charges back into the game and introduced Mickey Demetriou for the disappointing Newton, switching to 4-4-2 with Williamson and Dunk on the flanks and Simpson joining Corr up front. It should have been 2-0 on 68 when Akinde slipped through again, and as Beasant advanced, his delicate chip appeared to be sailing into the empty net, but as the 549 visiting Bees began to acclaim a goal, it bounced the wrong side of the far post. Had that gone in, it would surely have been curtains for the hosts. As it was, they responded with the spirited kind of reaction that we are coming to expect from a Derry side. United now had a better shape with square pegs in square holes and on 70 Corr laid it back to Dunk, his curling cross from deep was exquisitely placed into the corridor of uncertainty in front of Lawlor and Berry rampaged through unmarked to bullet his header home, with Simpson right beside him ready to do the same. 1-1. Relief turned to joyous disbelief less than 80 seconds later when United did it again. This time Demetriou was the creator with a diagonal cross from deep, Williamson went for it with his marker on the edge of the box and as both tumbled to the floor it bounced fortuitously off his back and was diverted perfectly in the path of Corr, who had already spotted the opportunity and took it with ruthless aplomb, sliding his perfect finish low across Lawlor from a narrowing angle and in at the far post. The turnaround was complete and the Abbey exploded with joy: 2-1! The reaction of most home supporters was ‘How the hell did that happen?!’ but now the U’s were on top, they continued to take the game to their stunned opponents, who had suddenly lost much of the intensity of their play. Gash was booked for handball, his sole contribution to the match, and Sam Muggleton was introduced for Sam Togwell, but it was all United now as the energy and confidence they had lacked so badly for 70 minutes suddenly flooded through them. On 76 Williamson used his pace to chip and chase past his marker down the right flank and as he cut inside he should have squared it to the unmarked Dunk, who had bust a gut to support him in the box, but he chose to shoot from a narrow angle and had it blocked by Lawlor at his near post. Ledson then fired a shot wide, and in a final fling the Bees introduced 37-year-old Kevin Lisbie in place of Hoyte. Barnet had blown themselves out, though, and United kept them at bay with some comfort during the last ten minutes; now it was they who were catching the visitors in possession and breaking upfield. One such break in added time saw Simpson bulldoze down the middle but he swept his shot wide of the far post. Yiadom had the last word with a shot clutched by Beasant, then the final whistle signalled a win which nobody would have predicted after 70 minutes of play. Barnet had provided stern opposition, making up in energy and tenacity for what they lacked in sophistication, but once United had got their noses in front there was only one winner, with Akinde’s miss just before Berry scored the turning point of the match. Derry was understandably delighted that his team had found a way to win their fifth League game in six matches despite being outplayed for so long, and perhaps playing their second game in three days had adversely affected some players, albeit it was the same for their opponents. Nonetheless, the manager and supporters will not wish to see a repeat of that feeble, slipshod first 70 minutes, and an awful lot more of that exciting attacking machine of the last twenty in 2016. Motorhead summed up the latter best… Only way to feel the noise is when it’s good and loud So good I can’t believe it, screamin’ with the crowd Don’t sweat it, get it back to you Overkill! Overkill! Overkill! Statto Corner United are now unbeaten in their last six League matches. This is their longest such run since March/April 2014, when they were undefeated in 9 consecutive games. The last such run in the Football League came in the same period of 2003, when they drew 1-1 at Oxford, won 1-0 at Carlisle, beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Abbey (whatever happened to them…?), drew 1-1 at home to Scunthorpe, drew 1-1 at Macclesfield and defeated Exeter 2-1 at home. Today’s attendance of 6,003 is the third figure of over 6,000 at the Abbey this season, following 6,607 against Portsmouth and 6,298 versus Luton (both 3-1 defeats). Last term there were a remarkable nine such attendances at the Abbey, including two in the FA Cup, four of which were in excess of 7,000. There was just one 6,000+ crowd here in 2013-14, against Luton, and none at all in the preceding four seasons, with three during 2008-09, two in 2007-08, one in 2006-07 and none in 2005-06. There was only one in United’s last season in their first spell in the League of 2004-05, 6,715 against Southend on 28th March. United lost 2-0 with a line-up that read: Ruddy, Gleeson, Newey, Tann, Duncan, Walker, Tudor, Chillingworth, Roberts, Somner, Nicholls. Used subs: Toner, Turner, Quinton. United’s 3-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge on Boxing Day was their third consecutive victory on their travels, and their best run away from home since March/April 2014, when they won 3-0 at Salisbury, 1-0 at Macclesfield and 3-0 at Woking. Their next target of four in a row was last achieved during February 2009, while they have not won four Football League away games in a row since the tail-end of 1993-94 when a phenomenal run saw them defeat Fulham 2-0, Exeter 5-0, Plymouth 3-0 and Cardiff 7-2. United have not won five consecutive away league matches since their Cambs League days, when they achieved that feat during 1938-39, 1933-34 and 1928-29. They topped that last run with a sixth ‘away’ win in the Division One Championship match (the league was divided into regionalised north and south Cambs divisions) against the North Cambs champions, Chatteris Town, a match which was staged at Cambridge Town’s Milton Road ground. United were the better side in the first half, but after Sid Hulyer gave them the lead, Cave equalised to keep the scores level; “a main feature of the game was the long kicking tactics adopted by both teams.” Dick Harris restored the Abbey’s lead on 70 minutes, and when “Darley” Watson made it 3-1 ten minutes from time, they looked set for a happy ending to the season. Somehow, though, Chatteris scored twice in the last eight minutes to level it up and send the match into extra time. A couple of the Chatteris men seemed disinclined to continue (extra time was a rare occurrence in those days) and began to walk off the field until they were persuaded to continue. Then United skipper George Alsop took charge and smashed in two of his ‘specials’ from outside the box in the first half of added time, although Chatteris made it 5-4 shortly before the end to make the score identical to that between the sides three weeks previously. It clinched the last of five trophies that the great United side won that season. Dylan Williams is the ninth man to be allocated squad number 32 at the Abbey. His predecessors are: Daniel Chillingworth, Dave Kitson, Warren Goodhind, Nick Robbins, Jeremy Izod (a sponsor rather than a player), Bobby-Joe Taylor, Jason Brown and Ryan Bird. Player Ratings Beasant 7. Competent performance and was hopelessly exposed for the goal he conceded. Omozusi 7. Quietly effective. Legge 8. Such a colossal presence. Roberts 7. Used his experience to make up for his lack of pace. Dunk 7. Decent job at left-back but truly blossomed once given a more attacking role. Ledson 6. Youngster looked like he needed a rest. Newton 5. A rare poor display typified by the error that led to Barnet’s goal. Berry 7. Not used to his best advantage but stuck at it and continued his golden touch in front of goal. Simpson 6. Gave 100 per cent as usual, although struggled to make an impact. Williamson 7. Pacy and exciting. Corr 8. Another mighty effort. Demetriou 7. Classy performer who helped make the difference in the second-half reshuffle. Match Summary On a schizophrenic afternoon at the Abbey, the United men wandered around the pitch for 70 minutes as if they had just come off a three-day Christmas bender against an effective Barnet side, but a festive miracle of two goals in 80 seconds turned the whole game on its head and after that it was just a case of how many more they could score. Start the next game how you finished this one, please lads. Man of the Match Barry Corr. May not be playing at full throttle, but put in a tireless shift, both up front and funnelling back, and also continued this season’s phenomenal scoring run. A fantastic signing. Ref Watch Webb 4. There is nothing more irritating than a referee who whistles every 30 seconds, but this chap went too far the other way, ignoring all manner of dubious challenges, most of which seemed to be on United players. Gold star for booking the cheat Akinde, though. Soundtrack of the Day Roots Manuva “Fighting For” Click links below to Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference)Click links below to 
Please cast your vote for Man of the Match against Barnet.
Cambridge Fans United have so far conducted a Man of the Match vote for every competitive game of the 2015/16 season (plus 4 of our higher profile friendlies). These results are made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting remains open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
Please cast your vote for Man of the Match against Barnet.
Cambridge Fans United have so far conducted a Man of the Match vote for every competitive game of the 2015/16 season (plus 4 of our higher profile friendlies). These results are made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting remains open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
CFU are seeking your views about the Cambridge United PlayerCFU are performing some research into the current use of Cambridge United Player and how it can be improved to meet the needs of our growing fan base.
http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/cambridge-united-player.html Click links below to Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference)Click links below to 
Please cast your vote for Man of the Match against Barnet.
Cambridge Fans United have so far conducted a Man of the Match vote for every competitive game of the 2015/16 season (plus 4 of our higher profile friendlies). These results are made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting remains open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
In the age of football clubs becoming billionaires' playthings it does no harm to go back to their beginnings. The English game's ragged, inspirational, late-Victorian roots should be better known but its development has been so phenomenally rapid it has rarely had time to take stock of the culture it has left behind.
Supporters may be only dimly aware but several senior clubs were formed as church teams, encouraged by Christian men in grim industrial districts who believed that sport offered physical exercise for lads with little to occupy them, and nourishing human values too: teamwork, friendship, courage, self-reliance. The realisation that Everton were formed by boys in the bible class at St Domingo's Methodist Chapel in 1878 recently led Peter Lupson, a semi-retired languages teacher from the Wirral, to devote 11 years to researching the founding stories of Everton and 10 other clubs established by churches: Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, Swindon Town and Tottenham Hotspur. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2006/dec/20/footballsforgottenmissionfo?CMP=share_btn_tw Click links below to Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) 
Please cast your vote for Man of the Match against Barnet.
Cambridge Fans United have so far conducted a Man of the Match vote for every competitive game of the 2015/16 season (plus 4 of our higher profile friendlies). These results are made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting remains open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
Please cast your vote for Man of the Match against Barnet.
Cambridge Fans United have so far conducted a Man of the Match vote for every competitive game of the 2015/16 season (plus 4 of our higher profile friendlies). These results are made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting remains open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. Post “Boxing Day” statistics
The attached table shows the current Sky Bet League 2 table at the half way stage of the season. It also shows the results gained against each team. This highlights the outstanding results gained against Northampton and Plymouth, given their current league position.
The last column shows what effect a 1 goal swing to the U's has on each result compared to the reverse fixture. The U's gained a total of 33 points from the first half of the season. A 1 goal swing in each game would mean they gain 50 points from the second half of the season. This would give a total of 83 points and be enough for the Amber Army to dream of Automatic Promotion well into the second half of April. 
Statistics: First half of season complete
After 23 Sky Bet League 2 fixtures the U's are:
This season - 11th place with 33 points Last season - 14th place with 29 points Last season (Final standings) 85 points - Automatic promotion 71 points - Play Offs 41 points - Relegation This seasons forecast 90 points - Automatic promotion 80 points - Play Offs 26 points - Relegation Assuming current form continues the U's will complete the season on 66 points. This would be an improvement of 15 points from the 2014/15 season. Automatic Promotion Current form implies the U's will finish between 19 and 24 points away from the Automatic Promotion places. The U's require a further 52-57 points to achieve Automatic Promotion. Play Offs Current form implies the U's will finish between 5 and 14 points away from the Play Off places. The U's require a further 38-47 points to achieve the Play Offs. Relegation Current form implies the U's will finish between 25 and 40 points above the relegation places. The U's require a further 0-8 points to avoid relegation. Performance so far Scored (36) - Ranked joint 8th (+1 on week) Conceded (33) - Ranked joint 12th (no change on week) The U's have now played 11 games against teams that currently place in the top half. Our results against these teams are W 2, D 3, L 6, F 14, A 21. The U's have also played 12 games against teams that currently place in the bottom half. Our results against these teams are W 7, D 3, L 2, F 22, A 12. See the full Fixture List (including attendance, scorers, your MoM) See the full Sky Bet League 2 Table. 
Vote for your Man of the Match against Dagenham.
Cambridge Fans United will be conducting a Man of the Match for as many games as possible over the course of the 2015/16 season. These results shall be made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting shall remain open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Click the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU.  Happy Christmas from everyone at CFU
We hope you enjoy the day. See you all soon 
Man of the Man against Mansfield
was Greg Taylor 
It's a time to be Merry and the Festive Amber News is out
It’s always at this time of year that I like to reflect on the way football has the power to bring people together, irrespective of their differences. The picture at the top of the newsletter shows German and British troops playing football on Christmas Day 1914, a poignant moment when the madness stopped for a short while and the soldiers of both sides realised just how much they had in common. Read more by following the link. It really is a superb read for Christmas http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/december-2015-festive-special.html Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference
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Cambridge United 1-1 Mansfield Town: The bells, the bells
Andrew Bennett reporting: It was Christmas Eve, babe, at the Abbey Dave Doggett said to me, ‘D’you wanna buy Chris Dunn?’ And then he sang a song, something by the Moose Troop I turned my face away, and dreamed about the U’s We played the Peterborough, beat them eighteen to one I’ve got a feeling next year will be big fun So Happy Christmas, Darragh McAnthony I can see a better time when your nightmares come true They’ve laid on extra bars, revenue streams of gold But the wind goes right through you in the Habbin of old When you first took my hand after the Toon Army You promised me Arsenal were waiting for me You were handsome You were pretty, used to manage AIK When the Man U match finished they howled out for more Donaldo was swinging, the Main Stand was singing You kissed Colin Proctor and danced through the night The boys of the NRE choir were singing ‘Barry Fry’ And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day I was great, now I’m sunk ‘Cos your team turned to junk To make some of those signings you’re out of your head Look, don’t be a prannet, you just want to pan it Happy Christmas your arse, were you not entertained? The boys of the NRE choir still singing ‘Barry Fry’ And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day You could have made League One Well, so could anyone I never dreamed that Ling would manage that one You terrorised MJ, your style was all your own Now you are all alone, you should go back to Luton The boys of the NRE choir still singing ‘Barry Fry’ And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day es, ‘tis the season once again, although the weather seems to indicate that it’s late spring rather than the not-so-bleak midwinter. Good old global warming. It certainly feels like spring again at the Abbey with Shaun Derry’s warm breeze of positivity and tactics that actually make sense, meaning a reasonably merry Christmas and the prospect of a fairly happy New Year for all those of the black and amber persuasion. Mansfield were Richard Money’s first league opponents when he took over in October 2012, and are another team which now look revitalised from last season’s mediocrity. Their team today boasted one former U’s loanee, Matty Blair, and two former Abbey trialists, Ryan Tafazolli and Reggie Lambe, with a striker from United’s Conference days, Craig Westcarr, on their bench. They also sported an unusual change strip of sky blue and chocolate brown stripes, the colours of yours truly’s alma mater, the Cambridge Grammar School for Boys, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. United line-up: Beasant; Gayle, Legge, Roberts, Taylor; Berry, Newton, Ledson, Dunk; Williamson, Corr On the bench: Dunn, Kennedy, Coulson, L.Hughes, Donaldson, Slew, Simpson Derry unsurprisingly selected an unchanged side from that which won at Plymouth last week, with Jordan Slew replacing Jordan Jones amongst the subs following the latter’s early return to Middlesbrough after a spectacularly unsuccessful loan spell. There was a stiff breeze blowing towards the Corona End on an otherwise balmy afternoon, but Mansfield, attacking in that direction in the first half, kept the ball on the floor, knocking it around with confidence and making good use of the flanks. They enjoyed much the better of early proceedings, Blair crossing for Matt Green to nod over on 4, while for United, Greg Taylor found the head of Barry Corr at the far post but he could not generate sufficient power to trouble 40-year-old keeper Brian Jensen. The visitors continued to take the game to United and Chris Clements flashed a shot wide on 9, while eight minutes later disaster almost struck when Sam Beasant’s attempted clearance cannoned off the back of Green and almost sailed into the net in a near-copy of Ben Williamson’s goal against Notts County last month, which made the United players’ protests rather hard to fathom. A minute later Williamson almost did it again at the other end, charging down Jensen’s clearance, but it bounced over the bar. Cameron Gayle was an early casualty, withdrawing on 19 due to a hamstring strain; he was replaced by Ryan Donaldson, who stationed himself on the left wing with Harrison Dunk switching to left-back and Taylor moving over to the right. Two minutes later Ryan Ledson was first into the book for a foul on Blair. The ensuing free-kick was a good 35 yards out and both sides packed the box with bodies, but Adam Chapman chose to go directly for goal, and somehow his none-too-powerful daisycutter of a shot bobbled in past a late-sprawling Beasant. Perhaps the keeper was partially unsighted, perhaps it bounced unkindly, but it was a dreadful error, a bread-and-butter save that any competent keeper at this level should be able to make. 1-0. Earlier in the season United might have let their heads drop at such a setback, as well as having been outplayed, but their response was swift and positive and they took charge of the rest of the half. Taylor crossed to Corr at the back post on 27 and his header into the six-yard box was steered into the net by Luke Berry, but he fell foul of the offside flag. A minute later more speedy passing culminated in Ledson attempting a curler from 15 yards, but it was palmed away by Jensen. Mitch Rose was Mansfield’s first bookee on 33 for a needless lunge on Dunk, and three minutes later the U’s were level. Donaldson had now switched to the right, and he made one of his trademark scampers for goal from deep; once inside the box, he shot for the bottom right corner, only for his effort to flick off Krystian Pearce’s heel and nestle in the opposite side past the bemused Jensen. 1-1. After being hustled out of their game for the first 20 minutes, now it was United who set the pace, and the Stags’ defence found Williamson’s pace especially difficult to cope with. Ledson’s superb through ball on 43 sent him away down the left channel, but his shot from a tight angle was blocked when he might have been better employed squaring it to one of his colleagues. The Ledson-Williamson combination repeated the trick shortly afterwards, but this time Pearce made the block. The hosts’ high pressing created another opportunity in added time, Corr’s interception sending Conor Newton haring clear down the right channel, but his cross was poked the wrong side of the post by Corr. So ended a half of two halves, in which first Mansfield had dictated the pace, then United had taken over and might well have ended it a goal in front; in fact they would have done, if not for Beasant’s careless mistake. As much as the first half had been entertaining, the second half turned out to be scrappy, sometimes without the ‘s’. Mansfield came out with a more containing intent, while the U’s struggled to get the measure of the following wind, overhitting pass after pass as well as playing too many hopeful long balls instead of keeping it on the floor and playing the simple ball. The result was that neither keeper had much to do at all as the game became bogged down in midfield with neither team able to muster sufficient quality in the final third. Corr won his share of headers and flicks but Williamson was well marshalled by a deeper-lying defence, while the midfield could not produce any telling through balls, with Berry rather wasted out of position on the left flank. Neither side could muster so much as a shot until Newton had one blocked on the hour. Three minutes later Leon Legge nodded a Donaldson corner wide, then when Corr was fouled by Pearce, Newton lifted a deeply disappointing free-kick into the car park from 20 yards out. Hopefully Berry or Donaldson will get a go next time. Nathan Thomas replaced the anonymous Blair for the visitors on 66, but despite winning a couple of corners United did not look like making a breakthrough, Berry essaying a hopeful volley over the top on 77. Mansfield began to find some space going forward in the last ten minutes and Thomas had a couple of shots blocked, and United almost threw it away two minutes from time when Legge’s imprudent attempted clearance cannoned off Green, allowing him to race through on goal, only to be denied by a good save from Beasant, atoning a little for his first half calamity. Adi Yussuf then replaced Lambe, and into stoppage time there was one last moment of panic at a Mansfield corner when Pearce’s close-range shot was blocked by someone on the line. It only remained for Green to be booked for a foul on Dunk, and the stalemate came to an end, a fair result all round and a decent outcome for the U’s against a useful, in-form side, albeit they had given them the softest of a goal’s start. With a little more fine tuning, this team has the potential to continue to push upwards in the second half of the season. And that would be the kind of fairytale we could all enjoy. Statto Corner United are now unbeaten in their last four league games. This is their longest such run this season, and something they did not manage in the whole of last term. The last time they went unbeaten in more than three consecutive league games was in a run of nine matches between 11th March and 12th April 2014, which consisted of: Luton (h) 1-1, Dartford (h) 1-1, Welling (h) 2-1, Salisbury (a) 3-0, Barnet (h) 1-1, Macclesfield (a) 1-0, Southport (h) 3-1, Woking (a) 3-0, Hyde (h) 7-2. They then lost five games in a row without scoring a goal before defeating Halifax 2-0 in the playoff semi-final second leg and, of course, Gateshead in the final. The last time United went as many as four games unbeaten in the Football League was in the last four matches of the 2003-04 season. They drew 0-0 at home to Kidderminster, 2-2 at Barnet, beat Scunthorpe 3-2 at the Abbey then won 1-0 at Leyton Orient, with John Ruddy saving a penalty on his debut. Mansfield’s squad today contained four players who have worn the black and amber. Matty Blair was signed on loan from Fleetwood Town last season and made his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Accrington Stanley on 22nd November. He was a substitute in one more League game and made one start and one sub appearance in the FA Cup before Richard Money decided he did not want to sign him permanently. Craig Westcarr signed for United in their first Conference season of 2005-06 after his release from Nottingham Forest. He made 23 starts and 8 as sub, scoring 8 goals, before leaving to join Kettering Town, eventually finding his way to the Football League with Notts County via Stevenage, and has since also been on the books of Chesterfield, Walsall and Portsmouth. Reggie Lambe came to the Abbey in the pre-season of 2011-12 following his release by Ipswich Town. He took part in two friendlies as a trialist, a 2-1 defeat at Bedford and a 1-1 draw at Bury Town, before jetting off to try his luck in Toronto, eventually joining Mansfield after a spell in Sweden with Nykopings BIS. Ryan Tafazolli had been on Southampton’s books when he was a trialist for a United XI in a 1-1 draw with Brentford’s development squad on 28th February 2012. He subsequently signed for Cambridge City, then moved on to Concord Rangers before being picked up by Mansfield. Player Ratings Beasant 5. Did most things competently, but his dreadful mistake effectively cost the team two points and United really must find a keeper of greater quality than the two they have fielded this season if they have any pretensions to a promotion push. Gayle 5. Given a torrid time down the flank until forced off after 19 minutes. Legge 7. Strong, no-nonsense display as usual. Roberts 7. Much better defensively, good at spotting danger early. Now if only he would pass the ball to his team-mates when in possession instead of humping the ball long EVERY SINGLE TIME. Taylor 8. United’s most improved player this season. Berry 7. Never at his most effective when employed on the wings, but put in a decent shift. Ledson 7. A little up and down as you would expect from a teenager, but showed several flashes of Premier League class. Newton 7. Now firmly established as a pivotal figure in central midfield. Dunk 7. Spent most of the game at left-back and gave a good account of himself. Williamson 7. Mansfield could not cope with his pace and he really should have done better with the several chances which came his way. Corr 7. Not playing at full pelt but still made a useful contribution. Donaldson 7. Energetic and committed, let us hope he can find his best form again. Match Summary United would probably have lost this game a few weeks ago, and could well have won it as well, but a draw was ultimately a fair result against an in-form Mansfield side after a scrappy second half in which the teams ended up just cancelling each other out. Man of the Match Greg Taylor. His step up in form has been an unexpected and welcome surprise. Ref Watch Joyce 7. A little laissez-faire on occasion, but rather a ref who tries to keep play flowing than one who blows for every other challenge. Soundtrack of the Day Frankie & the Heartstrings featuring Edwyn Collins “(Too Right) It’s Christmas” Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference
L
Football talent spotting: Are clubs getting it wrong with kids? from BBC Sport
Scouting football players as young as five, persuading an 11-year-old to sign a contract with private school education or offering a teenager's parents a house. These are some of the things English clubs are doing to secure the country's best youngsters in an increasingly desperate fight to beat rivals to sign potential stars. "Money talks," sighs Sheffield United's chief academy scout Luke Fedorenko as he describes how he has just lost two 11-year-olds to Manchester City. "But we must be doing something right." Fedorenko was one of 320 coaches and scouts at a recent Football Association conference at St George's Park to discuss what one keynote speaker, Professor Ross Tucker, calls a "race to the bottom". http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35054310 Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference Cheap tickets, free transport, safe-standing and atmospheres – The German football fan experience20/12/2015 
Cheap tickets, free transport, safe-standing and atmospheres – The German football fan experience
I’ve seen the future and it’s German – I’m not talking about LFC or Jurgen Klopp I’m talking about football; not just the game on the pitch the atmosphere in the stands and the way your average German fan is treated. It’s amazing but it’s also depressing in equal terms – it’s what every football fan wants and needs but it’s also the polar opposite of the Premier League and that genuinely (and I don’t use this lightly) saddened me as much as it blew my mind. http://www.thisisanfield.com/2015/12/german-football-experience-mainz-hoffenheim/ Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference 
At the match against Mansfield a United Legend was at the Abbey.
Find out who it was below and see him pictured standing next to his shirt on the wall of legends The following appeared in the Cambridge News 13th February 2015 Where are they now? Andy Duncan Defender 1998-2007 329 appearances Read more: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge-United-Andy-Duncan/story-26018366-detail/story.html#ixzz3urs2Dpum Click the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
SUPPORTERS DIRECT WELCOMES GOVERNMENT SPORTS STRATEGY
Press release “New strategy gives prominence to good governance and wider community benefits of sport” The Government today launched its new strategy for sport ‘Sporting Future: A new strategy for an active nation’. James Mathie from Supporters Direct said: “We commend the Government for producing a sports strategy that reflects what we see through the many volunteer sports groups and clubs that we work with. It breaks new ground by recognizing that sport should be measured for the impact it has on its community and how good governance and community involvement needs to be at the heart of that.” - See more at: http://www.supporters-direct.org/press-release/supporters-direct-welcomes-government-sports-strategy#sthash.XglqNqdL.dpuf Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference 
Ian’s article on the future of my club, Kingstonian, got to press as I was writing a similar piece. I could not have bettered Ian’s work – he should really be winning awards for this sort of thing. But even Ian fell foul of one or two of the misinformation traps which the story has set. So I’ve got at least some excuse for flinging my righteous indignation your way.R
ecently, I’ve watched as the club I’ve supported for thirty-three-and-a-half years has come under apparently fatal threat. Halfway through those years, such a situation would occupy my thoughts in every available waking hour. Now? I care less obsessively. Yet I have been shocked by how unaware and ill-prepared some at Kingstonian (Ks) have been for AFC Wimbledon receiving planning permission to build a ground on the old Wimbledon FC’s Plough Lane site. It is worth re-iterating (and italicising) that this was the whole point of AFC Wimbledon existing in the first place. Because, as Ian implied, Ks’ pre-planning for the eventuality appears to have been threadbare. Possibly within the boardroom and certainly among the fan base. http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=28564 Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference 
Sports teams owned by their fans should be given tax breaks to help to boost the economies of local communities by nearly £270,000 a year, according to a report launched in Parliament tomorrow.
Research for Supporters Direct, a government-backed body that is best known for helping fans to run football clubs, shows that teams and their local areas would benefit from breaks such as Gift Aid on donations and exemption from corporation tax. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/fan-owned-sports-clubs-should-be-given-tax-breaks-mps-told-a6768036.html Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference 
Vote for your Man of the Match against Mansfield.
Cambridge Fans United will be conducting a Man of the Match for as many games as possible over the course of the 2015/16 season. These results shall be made available on our fixtures page shortly after voting closes. Voting shall remain open for 48 hours after the game has ended. Please see our Fixtures and Results page for who you voted Man of the Match for previous fixtures. You can also see the current League 2 Table as produced by CFU. Click the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU. 
Shaun Derry has got Cambridge United lighting up the pitch, and now the Abbey Stadium has got a splash more colour.
Graffiti artist Kilo Sinstars was approached by Cambridge Fans United and the Cambridge United Community Trust to create an eye-catching piece of work on the walls behind the Newmarket Road End. And, with the help of Year 11 student Lewis Butler, who attends The Centre School in Cottenham, he has now completed the project, which includes a line-up of shirts bearing the names of club legends. Read more: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Graffiti-artwork-honours-Cambridge-United-legends/story-28390317-detail/story.html#ixzz3ul2LeVEw Click on the links below to - Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery (It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference
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