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Cambridge News Sports Reviews now online

4/25/2020

During the 1960's the Cambridge News produced the sports paper called the Sports Review and later on the Light Blue each Saturday during the football season.

100yearsofCoconuts have been donated copies of the Light Blues by Trevor Hobson-Frohock covering the period from the 60's

Everyone of a certain age will remember the Light Blue that was produced on a Saturday evening within hours of the match ending. Remember it was in the days before modern technology and techniques were in place.

Phones were hardwired in those days and reports had to be rung in by the journalist and then transcribed. It would then need to be set up manually so the paper could be printed. The Cambridge News offices were based in Newmarket Road at the time

We have been able to re-produce the weekly copies on line for your information. Below is a selection from 1964 and 1965 season.
We hope you enjoy reading the papers and also the memories they hold within them

Thank you to James Taylor for scanning the copies and enabling us to enjoy them again

Cambridge News Pre-1964can be seen by clicking here
Cambridge News Sports Review 1964/65 can be seen by clicking here
Cambridge News Sports Review 1965/66 can be seen by clicking here
Cambridge News Sports Review 1966/67 can be seen by clicking here
Cambridge News Post 1966/67 can be seen by clicking here

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Read the Cambridge Evening News Sports Review Saturday 18th October 1969

4/21/2020

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It's 18th October 1969.

The U's are planning a trip to Germany. Cambridge City needed to score more goals. See the Cambridge Evening News Sports Review and find out more about what was going on during this week in Cambridgeshire Sport

Thank you to James Taylor for his work scanning the papers

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The story continues from 1970 and 1990 on the U's journey up the leagues

4/15/2020

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Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week
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 Bill Leivers continued trimming his squad by giving free transfers to Alan Doyle and John Saunders, also granting transfer requests from Roly Horrey and Bill Casidy. Horrey had lost his place in the team, but it still came as a surprise that his request was granted. Cassidy, although still playing, had lost his goal touch. On Saturday 10th January United embarked on their first campaign in the new FA Trophy. It was to be another 35 years before they started another one! As they were reigning champions of the strongest league outside of the Football League and the only full time professional team in the competition, they were very hopeful of reaching the Wembley final. The visitors were Minehead, who had made the long journey from the west country with a overnight stop in London, but four players travelled up on the day and were delayed by over an hour. The match kicked off 20 minutes late in front of a decent attendance of 2,376 and the visitors soon took a shock lead. But goals from McKinven and Harris gave the U’s the lead before half-time. There were no more goals in the second half and the U’s went through to face Bromsgrove Rovers in the second round.
The following Saturday United returned to Southern League action at home to Wimbledon. Leivers had managed to bring in striker Paul Gilchrist, a 19 year old six footer on loan from Charlton Athletic. He replaced the injured Butcher and managed to score the winner after Hardy had given United the lead on 15 minutes and Wimbledon equalised twelve minutes later. The following Monday the U’s travelled to Corby for the Southern League Cup 2nd Round Replay. Corby took the lead twice, but Meldrum scored United’s second equaliser in the 88th minute to take the tie into extra time were goals from Harris and McKinven put the U’s into the next round. The recently recalled Horrey was man of the match.
IN THE NEWS IN JANUARY 1970 Westminster Bank and National Provincial Bank merge to form Nat West Bank. A Boeing 747 lands at Heathrow, the first Jumbo Jet to land in the UK. Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger is fined £200 for possession of Cannabis.

1989/90 The first Saturday in the year saw United in FA Cup 3rd Round action at home to Darlington who had dropped out of the League the previous season and were making a decent effort of returning at the first opportunity. Darlington where easily the best team and were unlucky not to win, having the best chances and United hardly able to get out of their own half. The match ends 0-0. The replay the following Tuesday was a much different match with Darlington taking the lead on 30 minutes and having a second controversley ruled out. United turn tings round in the second half with goals from Taylor, Philpott and Dublin giving them a 3-1 win. Millwall are next up in the cup.

On Saturday 20th January the Grimsby Town came to the Abbey for a Division 4 fixture. After a half-time rollicking from manager John Beck wakes up the sleepy U’s and the Dublin, Taylor partnership gives United a 2-0 win. Now sitting in 11th place and only 6 points behind 3rd place with two matches in hand, promotion seems possible again. What a difference two wins and a change of manager make!

IN THE NEWS IN JANUARY 1990 Lord Justice Taylor publishes his report in the Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 95 Liverpool F.C. supporters on 15 April last year. He recommends that all top division stadiums are all-seater by 1994 and that the rest of the Football League follows suit by 1999, but rules out the government's proposed ID card scheme to combat football hooliganism as "unworkable".

Police in Johannesburg, South Africa, break up a demonstration against the cricket match played by rebel English cricketers led by Mike Gatting.

The pictures are United as the previous season's Southern League Cup winners and John Saunders.

Cambridge United versus Millwall, FA Cup 4th Round Replay, Tuesday 30 January 1990.

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Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week - 1989/90 Christmas and New Year

4/6/2020

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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.

1989/90 It has to be said, the Christmas and New Year period wasn’t particularly fruitful for United, in fact not fruitful at all. After losing a 4-3 thriller at Lincoln on Boxing Day United travelled to Stockport County three days later where despite taking the lead with a Lee Philpott goal on 24 minutes where soundly beaten 3-1. Manager Chris Turner blamed the defence for what he called schoolboy blunders, which prompted him to go off on a scouting mission in search of defenders. With just one win in five games things were looking dodgy. New Year’s Day saw Burnley visit the Abbey, another awful display and another defeat. Burnley’s Junior Bent pouncing on a Liam Daish mistake to score the only goal in the 54th minute. With one win in the last six matches United were down to 14th .

The first Saturday of the new year saw non-league Darlington come to the Abbey for the FA Cup 3rd round tie. They totally outplayed United and were very unlucky not to win. The match ended 0-0 but both David Cork and Paul Emson came very close to scoring. The replay three days later saw Darlington take the lead mid way through the first half and they looked to be in control. Until the last 20 minutes when Darlington had a goal controversy ruled out and John Taylor went on to scored the equaliser which was followed up with goals from Lee Philpott and Dion Dublin. Next up in the cup would be Millwall.

The day after the replay Chris Turner resigned. He had been suffering with stomach problems brought on by stress and overwork. He was also recovering from a severe bout of flu. Feeling that he had taken the team as far as he could and he needed a rest he suggested that assistant manager John Beck should take over. Turner had hoped to become general manager but the board blocked the idea, saying that clubs our size don’t have general managers.
John Beck took over the reins for the trip to Hereford on 13th January and recored the U’s first win for five matches winning 2-0 with goals from Dion Dublin and Phil Chapple.

IN THE NEWS IN DECEMBER 1989 American president George Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declare an end to the cold war. Twenty two people involved in the Lockerbie disaster are recognised in the New Years honours list. ITV attracts 27 million viewers for the episode of Coronation street in which Alan Bradley is fatally run over by a tram.

FOOTBALL IN DECEMBER 1989 Liverpool at the top of First Division were 4 points ahead of Aston Villa in second. Leeds United, Notts County and Exeter City were top of the other divisions. Today’s visitors Mansfield Town were 21st in the third division having lost at home to Northampton.

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Bonjour U’s fans! Lionel Perez Interview

4/6/2020

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Bonjour U’s fans!

We recently caught up with former Fans favourite Lionel Perez for an interview in France.

Lionel was on fine form proudly talking about his love & fondness for Cambridge United.

You can watch the full interview now on coconuts TV on the link below.

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Cambridge United General Knowledge Quiz

4/6/2020

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Cambridge United General Knowledge Quiz

Are you stuck inside & missing football?. If so, come & test your knowledge on Cambridge United with our Virtual Quiz tomorrow evening Live on 100 years of coconuts at 7pm.

“Like” the coconuts page to be notified when the quiz is starting like” the coconuts page see below for addresst o be notified when the quiz is starting.

See www.facebook.com/100-Years-of-Coconuts-240094772737189/

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Cambridge News Sports Reviews now online

Read the Cambridge Evening News Sports Review Saturday 18th October 1969

The story continues from 1970 and 1990 on the U's journey up the leagues

Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week - 1989/90 Christmas and New Year

Bonjour U’s fans! Lionel Perez Interview

Cambridge United General Knowledge Quiz

Happy Harry's blog

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