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100yearsofcoconuts - Light Blue Project

3/31/2020

The 100yearsofcoconuts team have begun a project to scan all the Light Blue and Sports Reviews the group have from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties.

Please see below an example of what has been done so far. We have almost reached the seventies.

All of the scanning so far has been done by James Taylor. We are immensely grateful for the work he has done so far.

When the project is completed the papers will be donated to a local museum for safe archiving and storage. We have already been in discussion concerning this.

We will be uploading the completed copies downloaded onto this site shortly.

We hope you will enjoy the memories and are able relive former .times

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Do you remember the Reynolds News?

3/30/2020

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Do you like the kit design of Cambridge United?

What is the year of the photo?

Who were Reynolds News?

We have been told it was a local Sunday paper?

Who and where was it printed? Was it published by a larger newspaper group?

How long was it printed for?

Did you work for the paper? Tell us your stories

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Cambridge United Former Players

3/29/2020

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If you are a former Cambridge United player following the coconuts story have you become a member of the former players association?

If not please do contact us via the the details below.

If you are a player and currently a member who is in contact with other players please ask them to join. We would love to hear from them

100yearsofcoconuts@gmail.com or via the contact form on the website

www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/contact-us.html

The United former players' association can also be contacted at cufcformerplayers@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you

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Cambridge United U'16's team of 1961/62.

3/27/2020

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The photograph shows the Cambridge United U'16's team of 1961/62.

Were you one of the players in the side?

If so, what do you remember about playing for the team and the period?

Can you name the unknown player?

Please let us know what you did after playing for the side and if you know what happened to your team mates.

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Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week - Christmas 1969 & 1989

3/22/2020

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This season marks the 50th anniversary of Cambridge United’s last season in the Southern League which concluded in being elected into the Football League. Week by week we will look back on events of that memorable season and also 30 years ago, a season which saw the U’s win the first ever play off final at Wembley.

!969/70 On the build up to Christmas manager Bill Leivers took the opportunity to tighten the club’s disciplinary rules. Players were forbidden to take outside jobs and banned from drinking alcohol 48 hours before a match without permission of the manager or club director.

For the Southern League match on 20th December at home against Dover Athletic Leivers brought John McKinven in on the left wing and moved George Harris to inside left. The move proved successful, McKinven was the star of the show scoring twice and making the other goal for Harris in a 3-1 win against strong opponents who had been sitting forth in the league before kick-off. The festive period brought back to back matches against King’s Lynn, at the Abbey on Boxing Day the Linnets took the lead in the 13th minute but goals from Bill Cassidy in the 23rd and Harris on 34 minutes saw the U’s go in 2-1 up. United continued to look comfortable, but without adding to the score, until the 93rd minute when Coughlin equalised for King’s Lynn. So it was a quick turn round and everybody travelled up to King’s Lynn the next day for the return fixture. This time it was Harris who stole the show, scoring a Hat-Trick in a 3-2 win, despite King’s Lynn have taken the lead in the very first minute.

Peter Leggett who had been a regular in the first team both last season and this but was finding it hard to establish himself now was loaned out on a month’s trial to Lincoln City.

Christmas 1969 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, with Susan Hampshire and Kenny Ball and his Jazz Men as guests, was the most watched TV programme on Christmas Day. Ker Plunk was the top selling children’s toy selling at £2.04, today’s price would be £32.

Christmas 1969 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, with Susan Hampshire and Kenny Ball and his Jazz Men as guests, was the most watched TV programme on Christmas Day. Ker Plunk was the top selling children’s toy selling at £2.04, today’s price would be £32.

1989/90 On Boxing Day 1989 United, who were in 12th place travelled to 5th placed Lincoln City for a Football League Division 4 match. The match proved to be a nightmare for Colin Bailie who turned the ball into his own net to give the Imps a second minute lead. Phil Chapple put the U’s level on 33 minutes and Alan Kimble gave them the lead early in the second half from a penalty. But Bailie gave away a penalty two minutes later which brought the scores level again. Lincoln’s Matt Carmichael contrived to volley a stunning own goal to give the U’s the lead again in the 60th minute. But after being ahead with only 4 minutes of normal time remaining United managed to throw the points away when Carmichael made amends for his own goal in the 86th minute and Paul Smith scored the winner in time added on.

Christmas 1989 The Batman Batmobile which retailed at £9.94 was the top selling toy. Noel Edmunds Christmas Present Party and Only Fools and Horses were the most watched TV shows. The Christmas No.1 was Saviours Day by Cliff Richard.

Football at Christmas 1989 Arsenal, Leeds United, Notts County and Exeter City were the leaders of the four divisions. Leyton Orient were in 16th place in the old 3rd division, on their way to finishing in mid table, with former Cambridge United forward Mark Cooper their leading scorer.

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Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week December 1969 / 1989

3/9/2020

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This season marks the 50th anniversary of Cambridge United’s last season in the Southern League which concluded in being elected into the Football League. Week by week we will look back on events of that memorable season and also 30 years ago, a season which saw the U’s win the first ever play off final at Wembley.

1969/70

United’s title aspirations were dealt a blow when Tony Butcher was harshly suspended for five weeks for picking up three bookings, two of which were against his previous club Chelmsford. The first Southern League Premier match of December saw Romford visit the Abbey and amateur trialist Charlie Robinson age 22 was tried out at centre forward to see if he could fill the gap left by Butchers ban, having been spotted by manager Bill Leivers playing in a charity match at Milton. Roly Horrey (pictured) gave United an early lead but they had to settle for a draw after a Romford equaliser early in the second half.

Next up was another home match this time against Hillingdon Borough who until recently had been top of the table, but were trashed 7-0 at Hereford in midweek. Robinson was not retained but, with the injury situation becoming “ridiculous” as Leivers put it, he signed John McKinven a Scottish left winger from Southend. No fee was involved and McKinven made his debut in a fast, exciting but goalless match in which both sides had narrow escapes. Leivers had missed the match, bedridden with Asian Flu. United were now sitting in seventh position with 20 points from 16 matches, but 4 points behind leaders Wimbledon on 24points with Weymouth and Hereford also on 24 points.

1989/90

Saturday 9th December 1989 was FA Cup 2nd round day and non league Woking visited the Abbey. The match was refereed by German Singh who had previously been quite controversial with his decisions in United matches. No worries this time though as the U’s cruised to a 3-1 win with goals from Michael Cheetham, Chris Leadbitter and John Taylor. Leadbitter’s goal being described as an all time great goal, a left foot shot from 30 yards into the top corner.

The following Saturday Peterborough United were the visitors to the Abbey for a Football League Division 4 match. With United in 11th place and our county rivals sitting 9th both teams were on the fringes of the play off places, which added to make it a bit more than a local derby. Watch by nearly 5,000 fans two John Taylor goals gave the U’s a 2-0 half time lead. Just after the hour mark Peterborough pulled a goal back through Steve Osborne, but within four minutes Taylor completed his hat-trick with a brilliant goal created by Lee Philpott and Dion Dublin. On the stroke of fulltime Mick Halsall made it 3-2 and caused a few nervous moments for the United defence but they hung to record only one defeat in the last ten matches.

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Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week November 1969 & 1989

3/1/2020

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This season marks the 50th anniversary of Cambridge United’s last season in the Southern League which concluded in being elected into the Football League. Week by week we will look back on events of that memorable season and also 30 years ago, a season which saw the U’s win the first ever play off final at Wembley.

1969/70
After the disappointment of being knocked out of the FA Cup at the 4th Qualifying Round at Chelmsford more was to come the following Wednesday in the final of the Hunts Premier Cup when United lost 2-1 to Peterborough United. Only 1,703 turned up at the Abbey to see George Harris score for the U’s, while the visitors who included an 18 year old at centre back by the name of Chris Turner, converted two of their three opportunities and won it in the 115th minute. Interestingly manager Bill Leivers continued with his policy of playing full strength teams in these minor competitions. The club started entertaining directors from Football League clubs in the hope that they would be impressed with the facilities and also included the Football League Review in the match day programme. Proof that United were working hard both on and off the field to gain election the League.

On Saturday 15th November United returned to Southern League action with a workman like 2-1 victory at Poole Town, in the stadium that is now home to Poole Pirates speedway team, John Gregson and George Harris the U’s scorers. Harris had now scored six goals in his first four matches since his transfer from Reading. The following week Kettering Town, who included ex England international Ray Crawford, were the visitors to the Abbey. Both defences dominated the first half, with United paying extra attention to Crawford by having two defenders watching him. Early in the second half Kettering broke the deadlock with two goals from Goodall and Daldy. The game finished 2-0 to Kettering with United defenders, no doubt still watching Crawford!

United were now in 5th place in the Southern League Premier Division on 18 points only one point behind leaders Hillingdon Borough but having played two more matches.

1989/90
By now the afore mentioned Chris Turner had been United manager for four years and despite just missing out on the play-off last season the U’s were now languishing in midfield. Friday 24th November saw United travel to 17th placed Southend for a Football League Division 4 fixture. For a number of years Southend, along with a handful of other clubs traditionally played their home matches on a Friday evening. In an intriguing encounter between the top of the table team and the top of the form table team United started brightly but Southend came back strongly as the game went on. Former U’s striker David Crown twice having good efforts thwarted by John Vaughan in the United goal. An entertaining match surprisingly ends 0-0.

Interest in the Football League Associate Members Cup (now named the EFL Trophy) sponsored by Leyland Daf was ended by a 2-0 loss at Gillingham and a 3-3 draw at home with Southend. Leadbitter, Cheetham and Daish the U’s scorers in front of a crowd of 993. Next up was a Division 4 match at the Abbey against Rochdale. Rochdale’s Steve O’Shaughnessy is barracked by the home crowd when he takes a corner but still manages to score from the impossible angle. In a very shoddy performance United concede two more in the second half and lose 3-0. Having won one of the last four matches and failing to score in the last three the tables were beginning to turn on United’s good form of the previous month and the pressure is on manager Turner.Next up is a local derby against the old enemy from the north of the county.

FOOTBALL IN NOVEMBER 1989 Nigel Martyn becomes England’s most expensive goalkeeper when he leaves Bristol Rovers to go to Crystal Palace for £1m. Oldham Athletic beat Arsenal 3-1 in the League Cup on their artificial pitch at Boundary Park where they have been undefeated for 23 matches. The Football Spectators Bill which includes the need for id cards receives the Royal Assent in house of parliament.

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100yearsofcoconuts - Light Blue Project

Do you remember the Reynolds News?

Cambridge United Former Players

Cambridge United U'16's team of 1961/62.

Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week - Christmas 1969 & 1989

Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week December 1969 / 1989

Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week November 1969 & 1989

Happy Harry's blog

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