Mike Langran’s Memories of Supporting Cambridge United.
I was born in number 1 Silverwood Close, Coldham’s Lane Cambridge, so as the bird flies, I was born within 1/2 a mile of the great Abbey Stadium. Now, that was a few years ago (1945 to be precise!).
I am unable to recall the very first time I went to see a match at the Abbey but it was in the days when the changing rooms was a wooden shed on the part of the ground where the Habbin stands today (May 2024). So, I would say my first match was about 1950. I can recall a match between Cambridge Unted and Lowestoft (? Memory tells me it was Lowestoft but anyway, it was a team from the East Coast!) Playing in goal for us was one of the Gallego brothers (Tony I think!) He was playing so well that day that their centre forward raced onto a long ball in the penalty box, Gallego went down on the ball and the centre forward trod on his hand and made sure Gallego was injured, (it did end Gallego’s playing days if I believe correctly.) Another match I recall seeing was the F.A. cup match against Torquay at Torquay. Eastern Counties Bus Service put on special buses at ridiculous hours of the night to get people to the railway station for the train. We lost the match after the referee gave a dubious penalty to Torquay. Even their supporters were mystified by that decision. On the way home on the train, a person got locked in the train toilet and Peter Dobson (one of the team that day) happened to be walking along the corridor, he simply put his shoulder against the door which flew open and the person walked out thanking him profusely.
If my father was off work on a Saturday afternoon, he would take me to see a home match and I suppose I saw a match about three or four times during a season, but I moved to Waterbeach mid-fifties and did not see any more matches even though I looked in the Cambridge evening News (as it was then) for their results. My brother Tim was in the Youth Team managed by Johnny Munns and they won a few trophies!
I got on with life playing truancy from school and learning how to fish, roller skate, ice skate and eventually start my working career. It was not until Ron Atkinson came to the Club that I began to get more interested in watching matches. It was the 1976/77 season I began to watch matches as something made me far more aware of the club again. I stood in the Habbin next to the floodlight near the Supporters club. The first match I watched, we scored and everyone around me was jumping up and down, shouting and screaming. I thought they had all gone mad, after all, we had scored and isn’t that the idea of the game, so why the shouting and screaming. This went on for a few games, when I think we were playing Southend. As I walked to “My Place!” I felt a bit of apprehension and anxiety. Five minutes to three, the teams come out, our captain kicks the ball high and far as he comes out from the tunnel, a great cheer goes up, Cambridge and the opponents kick about warming up whilst the two captains and referee toss the coin to see who kicks off and who kicks into which end. Then, the start of the match, two teams weighing each other up, cat and mouse stuff for 15 minutes then the opponents increase their efforts to score, a bit of nail biting goes on, pressure, pressure on United’s goal but somehow, we keep the score to nil, nil at half time. During half time, conversations with strangers around me as to how the stress is too much, we need a goal or two to calm us down. Total agreement with all Cambridge Supporters. Second half starts and Cambridge are kicking into the Newmarket Road end. Cambridge are pressurising the opponents goal but no avail. The tension is becoming far too much, when all of a sudden, one of our players takes a shot from outside the box, and, slowly the ball sails through the air, all players movements are slowed down, eventually, the net is bulging! Well, I am jumping up and down screaming and shouting. A thought went through my mind! “What are you doing Mike, have you gone mad?” “No answer” was the reply or “No reply” was the answer, whichever. I was lost in exhilaration, nothing else existed, pure unadulterated joy! Shared with those all around me.
Since that day in 1976, I have never been able to answer that question with clarity. Am I mad to support Cambridge United? NO!, when we are on the edge of promotion and probably Yes!, when we are on the edge of relegation.
I have seen all the home matches since the start of that season (barring through illness and no other reason and probably accounts for not seeing about ten matches), have seen quite a few away matches over that time, and have every programme for every home game since the start of season 1976/77 until the end of season 2023/24, my son (Also Mike) has every programme for every home match since we were first elected into the football league.
WHAT A JOURNEY!!
When it comes to the most favourite match, there are so many for different reasons. Playing at Wembley the first time against Chesterfield. We only played at the original Wembley once (the one with the twin Towers!) and we have 100% record playing there. Can any other club claim a 100% record there? But for me, I think the my most favourite match is the second replay against Bristol City in the F.A. Cup Match on February 27th1990. The first leg at Bristol was a nil-nil draw, the replay at the Abbey was a 1-1draw and the second replay was again at the Abbey, (a toss of the coin determined where that replay was to take place) all the drama! Eventually winning by 5 goals to 1. After all the tricks Bristol got up too on the field in all three matches the result was a moral victory as well as victory the records will forever show. I placed a banner on my garage door the day after stating the score, crowd, etc. just like the papers use to.
As for favourite player, again that is very difficult as there are so many, like Wolfie Smith, THE cult hero, Wilf Mannion who I saw play at the abbey in the fifties, and others I liked for many reasons but I have to name one and I will go for Steve Spriggs, the midfield dynamo as Ron Atkinson named him. He was a player that developed tremendously whilst at Cambridge United. He really was able to make a pass from one side of the pitch to the other, straight to the player it was intended for. He scored regularly from midfield. Of course, no one player makes the team, everybody plays their part so it is difficult to isolate one player.
Now the favourite ground. Dear oh! Dear, what a decision. Wembley purely for its location, history and internationals etc. I find it difficult to like anything about Manchester United, Maidstone only get mentioned as they are not in existence now. My choice is controversial as Cambridge United have never played there, ANFIELD! I choose this as I went to a match there during the 1980s. I was invited to a party in Liverpool and discovered Liverpool were playing Norwich City that weekend. I stood on the Kop with my father, watched the first half where Liverpool were absolute rubbish and could not put an attack together while Norwich (managed by John Bond then) were frightened to make any sort of attack. Throughout that first half the crowd were blasting a Liverpool player for a bad pass but when that player had the ball again, the crowd would support them with “come on Barney You can do it, we know you can” then swear when it all went wrong again, that was repeated throughout the match. I learnt then that support your players whilst the game is in progress, criticise them after the match. My brother was also in Liverpool to attend the birthday party but went into town to get a present, he got lost in a one-way system and missed the match. It was the match where Alan Hansen picked up the ball on the edge of his own penalty box, did a mazy dribble up the pitch, took a tremendous shot and scored! For the rest of the season, that goal was shown at the beginning of Match of The Day every Saturday. I kept reminding my brother what a goal he missed!
For an away ground that I have been too with Cambridge United, I select Bournemouth, not because of the match, not because of the ground but purely because of an incident on the terraces. The match was a quickly forgotten match, nothing but boring. The referee made a controversial decision and one of our supporters became so animated, he fell over the steps. The mildest of grazes was apparent when he got up by which time the Bournemouth first aiders were in pursuit of some activity. They looked at his arm, took him the first aid room. Three quarters of an hour later he returns with his arm sticking out of his side, bent at the elbow across his chest and in a splint neatly finished off with some wound bandaging. All for the minutest of grazes. They had either been on a refresher course or took the opportunity to show off their skills!
Favourite manager is a bit easier as I can only come up with three to choose from. Ron Atkinson, John Docherty and John Beck. Ron Atkinson, I choose because he was a showman and buccaneer that set the team up that took us to the then second division (now the championship) with some swagger. I hold him responsible for my getting hooked during the 1976/77 season. I select John Beck on two counts, the first for creating a team that all went onto higher levels, literally being unbeatable and as such, were exciting to watch. Also, the drama of the times. Another reason I select Beck is he was the manager that had brought in statistics, diets and what I would call, not the best gamesmanship. It is noticeable that all those managers of the day that ridiculed Beck, went onto use his methods. Finally, I select John Docherty as my favourite. It can be said he basked in the team that Atkinson built, to some degree, that is true, but Docherty coached the players in subtle skills and techniques which players took on with success we have never seen since and I am proud of the fact that I saw every home game in all those eight seasons, eight seasons when we were in the second division (currently known as the Championship) FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
Now for my choice of best Cambridge United players. Again, very hard decisions to be made here. I give a nod to all players that played their hearts out for Cambridge but not mentioned. Can you really not have a best eleven without Wilf Mannion in it? I do not include Harvey Cornwall purely because he was before my time and I never saw him play but his record is beyond reproach. Wolfie Smith, the true cult hero, (who killed the shearer?) Here we go then for my best team.
Webster, Batson, Murray, Fallon, Stringer, Finney, Street, Spriggs, Wilf Mannion, Biley, Rielly.
Once again, a nod to all those that played their hearts out and did not get a mention.
Best moment supporting Cambridge Unted. I have so many “Best Moments” it is hard to select one. So, I will cheat a little bit here. I was once “The Twelfth Fan” at a match. The club decided to make a different season ticket holder for each match, the Twelfth Fan. this meant you had an article in the match day programme, a meal in the club sponsors lounge, was introduced to the team manager, sat in the Directors box and led the teams out at the start of the match. I wrote the following for our village magazine at the time.
The Twelfth Fan!
I had the opportunity to be the twelfth fan at a home game of Cambridge United Football Club. I knew this was about leading the Team out on the pitch just before the start of the match but that was all I knew. So, what happened on Sunday 29th December 2019?
I received the itinerary. A guest was allowed to accompany me on the day so I took my son, also Mike. We had to report to the club at 12.15pm for the match beginning at 3.00pm. We had a meal, the compere introduced the other match sponsors to me who all applauded, my name appeared on the team sheet and the article I wrote was in the programme. An organiser then took me outside to the pitch to tell me the order in which things would happen, and then it was back to the dining area.
At 2.45pm, the organiser took me to the tunnel where the officials and teams would walk out of onto the pitch. A couple of stewards were there and we joked until the referee came out to us. I had considered saying something to him but I needed to know if he had a sense of humour as he had never been to our ground before. He had a smile on his face so I opened up a conversation with “You have never refereed us here before, have you?” he replied “No, but I have refereed matches when you have been playing away”, taking the opportunity to make a joke I responded, “You need to know one thing ref, that Cambridge United have never committed a foul on this ground!” I was very surprised and relieved to see that he had a good laugh at that. He then marched out of the tunnel and onto the pitch, I followed as did the team with the mascots, as we walked onto the pitch, I heard the crowd shouting and applauding, my head began to feel a little bit bigger, then reality stepped in, the cheers weren’t for me but the two teams!
Once we were all in position, the referee said I was to walk along the officials and the opponents’ shaking hands with everyone. As I did so I wished everyone “Good Luck” when I reached the final player in the opposition line-up (who is known to be a player who winds up the opponents and their supporters) I added a little something, I said “Good luck, you will need it!” I am sure he squeezed my hand that bit harder than he needed too!
Once that had been completed, I could hear a lot of noise from the area I usually stand, I looked across and could see a lot of arms waving and gesticulating, I responded by waving nicely! Then I was introduced to our team manager, Colin Calderwood who seemed to be taken aback that he had been hustled to me, I simply said “Good Luck Colin” he was very appreciative and said he had done his best to prepare the team after our last game on Boxing Day which was away, we lost 4-0. What you might call a bit of a thumping!
We sat in the Directors box to watch the match, half time came and back we went to the dining area, we were given a free drink and biscuits, then back to our seats until full time, then again into the dining area. The man of The Match came into see us and was presented with a bottle of champagne. Other team members joined us and we could get autographs etc. We mingled with the players and left about 5.30pm. all in all, it was a very pleasant afternoon. Below is the official photograph of me leading out the teams.
Finally, I would like to say that I have enjoyed the company of so many people whilst supporting Cambridge United. I have stood in the Habbin stand, the Newmarket Road end and lastly sat in the main stand. It is the camaraderie through the good and the bad days, when things go well, when things go terribly wrong, yet the people you stand with, are there to listen to your gripes, to laugh with you and in turn, you listen to their gripes and laugh with them. I say a big thank you to all the people I have stood with and sat next to over the last 48 years.
There’s more to gong to a football match than watching a football match!
I have taken the opportunity to write this article as I am answering the request placed on the message board. Also, my wife Ann and I will be moving to Ramsgate later this year and therefore will not be attending any more matches at the Abbey stadium. I will be following the great CUFC on matchdays looking for their results.
As I said earlier, What a journey!!
I was born in number 1 Silverwood Close, Coldham’s Lane Cambridge, so as the bird flies, I was born within 1/2 a mile of the great Abbey Stadium. Now, that was a few years ago (1945 to be precise!).
I am unable to recall the very first time I went to see a match at the Abbey but it was in the days when the changing rooms was a wooden shed on the part of the ground where the Habbin stands today (May 2024). So, I would say my first match was about 1950. I can recall a match between Cambridge Unted and Lowestoft (? Memory tells me it was Lowestoft but anyway, it was a team from the East Coast!) Playing in goal for us was one of the Gallego brothers (Tony I think!) He was playing so well that day that their centre forward raced onto a long ball in the penalty box, Gallego went down on the ball and the centre forward trod on his hand and made sure Gallego was injured, (it did end Gallego’s playing days if I believe correctly.) Another match I recall seeing was the F.A. cup match against Torquay at Torquay. Eastern Counties Bus Service put on special buses at ridiculous hours of the night to get people to the railway station for the train. We lost the match after the referee gave a dubious penalty to Torquay. Even their supporters were mystified by that decision. On the way home on the train, a person got locked in the train toilet and Peter Dobson (one of the team that day) happened to be walking along the corridor, he simply put his shoulder against the door which flew open and the person walked out thanking him profusely.
If my father was off work on a Saturday afternoon, he would take me to see a home match and I suppose I saw a match about three or four times during a season, but I moved to Waterbeach mid-fifties and did not see any more matches even though I looked in the Cambridge evening News (as it was then) for their results. My brother Tim was in the Youth Team managed by Johnny Munns and they won a few trophies!
I got on with life playing truancy from school and learning how to fish, roller skate, ice skate and eventually start my working career. It was not until Ron Atkinson came to the Club that I began to get more interested in watching matches. It was the 1976/77 season I began to watch matches as something made me far more aware of the club again. I stood in the Habbin next to the floodlight near the Supporters club. The first match I watched, we scored and everyone around me was jumping up and down, shouting and screaming. I thought they had all gone mad, after all, we had scored and isn’t that the idea of the game, so why the shouting and screaming. This went on for a few games, when I think we were playing Southend. As I walked to “My Place!” I felt a bit of apprehension and anxiety. Five minutes to three, the teams come out, our captain kicks the ball high and far as he comes out from the tunnel, a great cheer goes up, Cambridge and the opponents kick about warming up whilst the two captains and referee toss the coin to see who kicks off and who kicks into which end. Then, the start of the match, two teams weighing each other up, cat and mouse stuff for 15 minutes then the opponents increase their efforts to score, a bit of nail biting goes on, pressure, pressure on United’s goal but somehow, we keep the score to nil, nil at half time. During half time, conversations with strangers around me as to how the stress is too much, we need a goal or two to calm us down. Total agreement with all Cambridge Supporters. Second half starts and Cambridge are kicking into the Newmarket Road end. Cambridge are pressurising the opponents goal but no avail. The tension is becoming far too much, when all of a sudden, one of our players takes a shot from outside the box, and, slowly the ball sails through the air, all players movements are slowed down, eventually, the net is bulging! Well, I am jumping up and down screaming and shouting. A thought went through my mind! “What are you doing Mike, have you gone mad?” “No answer” was the reply or “No reply” was the answer, whichever. I was lost in exhilaration, nothing else existed, pure unadulterated joy! Shared with those all around me.
Since that day in 1976, I have never been able to answer that question with clarity. Am I mad to support Cambridge United? NO!, when we are on the edge of promotion and probably Yes!, when we are on the edge of relegation.
I have seen all the home matches since the start of that season (barring through illness and no other reason and probably accounts for not seeing about ten matches), have seen quite a few away matches over that time, and have every programme for every home game since the start of season 1976/77 until the end of season 2023/24, my son (Also Mike) has every programme for every home match since we were first elected into the football league.
WHAT A JOURNEY!!
When it comes to the most favourite match, there are so many for different reasons. Playing at Wembley the first time against Chesterfield. We only played at the original Wembley once (the one with the twin Towers!) and we have 100% record playing there. Can any other club claim a 100% record there? But for me, I think the my most favourite match is the second replay against Bristol City in the F.A. Cup Match on February 27th1990. The first leg at Bristol was a nil-nil draw, the replay at the Abbey was a 1-1draw and the second replay was again at the Abbey, (a toss of the coin determined where that replay was to take place) all the drama! Eventually winning by 5 goals to 1. After all the tricks Bristol got up too on the field in all three matches the result was a moral victory as well as victory the records will forever show. I placed a banner on my garage door the day after stating the score, crowd, etc. just like the papers use to.
As for favourite player, again that is very difficult as there are so many, like Wolfie Smith, THE cult hero, Wilf Mannion who I saw play at the abbey in the fifties, and others I liked for many reasons but I have to name one and I will go for Steve Spriggs, the midfield dynamo as Ron Atkinson named him. He was a player that developed tremendously whilst at Cambridge United. He really was able to make a pass from one side of the pitch to the other, straight to the player it was intended for. He scored regularly from midfield. Of course, no one player makes the team, everybody plays their part so it is difficult to isolate one player.
Now the favourite ground. Dear oh! Dear, what a decision. Wembley purely for its location, history and internationals etc. I find it difficult to like anything about Manchester United, Maidstone only get mentioned as they are not in existence now. My choice is controversial as Cambridge United have never played there, ANFIELD! I choose this as I went to a match there during the 1980s. I was invited to a party in Liverpool and discovered Liverpool were playing Norwich City that weekend. I stood on the Kop with my father, watched the first half where Liverpool were absolute rubbish and could not put an attack together while Norwich (managed by John Bond then) were frightened to make any sort of attack. Throughout that first half the crowd were blasting a Liverpool player for a bad pass but when that player had the ball again, the crowd would support them with “come on Barney You can do it, we know you can” then swear when it all went wrong again, that was repeated throughout the match. I learnt then that support your players whilst the game is in progress, criticise them after the match. My brother was also in Liverpool to attend the birthday party but went into town to get a present, he got lost in a one-way system and missed the match. It was the match where Alan Hansen picked up the ball on the edge of his own penalty box, did a mazy dribble up the pitch, took a tremendous shot and scored! For the rest of the season, that goal was shown at the beginning of Match of The Day every Saturday. I kept reminding my brother what a goal he missed!
For an away ground that I have been too with Cambridge United, I select Bournemouth, not because of the match, not because of the ground but purely because of an incident on the terraces. The match was a quickly forgotten match, nothing but boring. The referee made a controversial decision and one of our supporters became so animated, he fell over the steps. The mildest of grazes was apparent when he got up by which time the Bournemouth first aiders were in pursuit of some activity. They looked at his arm, took him the first aid room. Three quarters of an hour later he returns with his arm sticking out of his side, bent at the elbow across his chest and in a splint neatly finished off with some wound bandaging. All for the minutest of grazes. They had either been on a refresher course or took the opportunity to show off their skills!
Favourite manager is a bit easier as I can only come up with three to choose from. Ron Atkinson, John Docherty and John Beck. Ron Atkinson, I choose because he was a showman and buccaneer that set the team up that took us to the then second division (now the championship) with some swagger. I hold him responsible for my getting hooked during the 1976/77 season. I select John Beck on two counts, the first for creating a team that all went onto higher levels, literally being unbeatable and as such, were exciting to watch. Also, the drama of the times. Another reason I select Beck is he was the manager that had brought in statistics, diets and what I would call, not the best gamesmanship. It is noticeable that all those managers of the day that ridiculed Beck, went onto use his methods. Finally, I select John Docherty as my favourite. It can be said he basked in the team that Atkinson built, to some degree, that is true, but Docherty coached the players in subtle skills and techniques which players took on with success we have never seen since and I am proud of the fact that I saw every home game in all those eight seasons, eight seasons when we were in the second division (currently known as the Championship) FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
Now for my choice of best Cambridge United players. Again, very hard decisions to be made here. I give a nod to all players that played their hearts out for Cambridge but not mentioned. Can you really not have a best eleven without Wilf Mannion in it? I do not include Harvey Cornwall purely because he was before my time and I never saw him play but his record is beyond reproach. Wolfie Smith, the true cult hero, (who killed the shearer?) Here we go then for my best team.
Webster, Batson, Murray, Fallon, Stringer, Finney, Street, Spriggs, Wilf Mannion, Biley, Rielly.
Once again, a nod to all those that played their hearts out and did not get a mention.
Best moment supporting Cambridge Unted. I have so many “Best Moments” it is hard to select one. So, I will cheat a little bit here. I was once “The Twelfth Fan” at a match. The club decided to make a different season ticket holder for each match, the Twelfth Fan. this meant you had an article in the match day programme, a meal in the club sponsors lounge, was introduced to the team manager, sat in the Directors box and led the teams out at the start of the match. I wrote the following for our village magazine at the time.
The Twelfth Fan!
I had the opportunity to be the twelfth fan at a home game of Cambridge United Football Club. I knew this was about leading the Team out on the pitch just before the start of the match but that was all I knew. So, what happened on Sunday 29th December 2019?
I received the itinerary. A guest was allowed to accompany me on the day so I took my son, also Mike. We had to report to the club at 12.15pm for the match beginning at 3.00pm. We had a meal, the compere introduced the other match sponsors to me who all applauded, my name appeared on the team sheet and the article I wrote was in the programme. An organiser then took me outside to the pitch to tell me the order in which things would happen, and then it was back to the dining area.
At 2.45pm, the organiser took me to the tunnel where the officials and teams would walk out of onto the pitch. A couple of stewards were there and we joked until the referee came out to us. I had considered saying something to him but I needed to know if he had a sense of humour as he had never been to our ground before. He had a smile on his face so I opened up a conversation with “You have never refereed us here before, have you?” he replied “No, but I have refereed matches when you have been playing away”, taking the opportunity to make a joke I responded, “You need to know one thing ref, that Cambridge United have never committed a foul on this ground!” I was very surprised and relieved to see that he had a good laugh at that. He then marched out of the tunnel and onto the pitch, I followed as did the team with the mascots, as we walked onto the pitch, I heard the crowd shouting and applauding, my head began to feel a little bit bigger, then reality stepped in, the cheers weren’t for me but the two teams!
Once we were all in position, the referee said I was to walk along the officials and the opponents’ shaking hands with everyone. As I did so I wished everyone “Good Luck” when I reached the final player in the opposition line-up (who is known to be a player who winds up the opponents and their supporters) I added a little something, I said “Good luck, you will need it!” I am sure he squeezed my hand that bit harder than he needed too!
Once that had been completed, I could hear a lot of noise from the area I usually stand, I looked across and could see a lot of arms waving and gesticulating, I responded by waving nicely! Then I was introduced to our team manager, Colin Calderwood who seemed to be taken aback that he had been hustled to me, I simply said “Good Luck Colin” he was very appreciative and said he had done his best to prepare the team after our last game on Boxing Day which was away, we lost 4-0. What you might call a bit of a thumping!
We sat in the Directors box to watch the match, half time came and back we went to the dining area, we were given a free drink and biscuits, then back to our seats until full time, then again into the dining area. The man of The Match came into see us and was presented with a bottle of champagne. Other team members joined us and we could get autographs etc. We mingled with the players and left about 5.30pm. all in all, it was a very pleasant afternoon. Below is the official photograph of me leading out the teams.
Finally, I would like to say that I have enjoyed the company of so many people whilst supporting Cambridge United. I have stood in the Habbin stand, the Newmarket Road end and lastly sat in the main stand. It is the camaraderie through the good and the bad days, when things go well, when things go terribly wrong, yet the people you stand with, are there to listen to your gripes, to laugh with you and in turn, you listen to their gripes and laugh with them. I say a big thank you to all the people I have stood with and sat next to over the last 48 years.
There’s more to gong to a football match than watching a football match!
I have taken the opportunity to write this article as I am answering the request placed on the message board. Also, my wife Ann and I will be moving to Ramsgate later this year and therefore will not be attending any more matches at the Abbey stadium. I will be following the great CUFC on matchdays looking for their results.
As I said earlier, What a journey!!