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Russell Crane: what a guy

11/28/2015

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Russell Crane is to us the embodiment of the spirit of Abbey United/ Cambridge United. That's why we asked him to be Honorary Life President of 100 Years of Coconuts, and we're delighted to say he accepted.

This is a man who, growing up in a U's-devoted family just yards from the ground, made his first-team debut at the age of 15 in a wartime league. He proceeded to represent United in four other leagues, setting a club scoring record for a season of 42 goals in 37 games along the way, before moving on after 186 goals and 502 appearances.

CFU chairman Dave Matthew-Jones presented Russell with a memento on November 26 as a mark of our immense respect.

Russell Crane with a glass memento presented by Cambridge Fans United chairman Dave Matthew-Jones, at the Museum of Cambridge on 26 November 2015, to mark his appointment as Honorary Life President of 100 Years of Coconuts. Memento by Cooper Trophies, Carlton Way, Cambridge. Photo: Keith Heppell/Cambridge News.

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The Light Blue U

11/17/2015

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This article appeared in the Cambridge United official programme for the game against Newport County on 8 August 2015.

The 2015 Varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge was played on the Abbey turf in March as a result of a maturing partnership between the two CUs, United and University – but it wasn’t the first time.

Four Varsity matches have taken place on the sacred sward, the first of them in 1990. What’s more, back in the day – a historical era in which Coconuts specialises – the U’s used to help their scholarly chums prepare for the fixture with a practice match, sometimes at the Abbey and sometimes at Fenner’s. Yes, Fenner’s. Wonder what Cyril Coote made of that.

Something else about the Varsity match that young U’s might not know: between 1953 and 1988 it was played at Wembley. And it was at the national stadium that the only Cambridge graduate ever to play for United’s first team made his three Varsity match appearances, scoring each time to help the Light Blues to a triplet of victories.

Peter Phillips was at Fitzwilliam College between 1966 and 1969, studying for the history degree that he hoped would lead to a teaching career. The football gods had other ideas. His attributes – grass-scorching speed, bravery, skill aplenty and an eye for a goal or two – had been noted by professional clubs. Having earned two England amateur caps while playing at Bishop’s Stortford, in 1969 he signed pro terms with Luton.

Back in Cambridge, by March 1971 Bill Leivers was struggling to manage an injury crisis that had left him with just ten fit players. A sympathetic Football League waived the transfer deadline rules to allow him to borrow Phillips and Robin Wainwright – and Phillips impressed on his debut against Scunthorpe by making a goal for Jim White. But the League’s generosity wavered when three United men’s injuries healed, and it was back to Kenilworth Road for Phillips.

In the summer Leivers plundered Luton for Phillips, Alan Guild and Jack Bannister, and 1971/72 saw the young forward claim a regular starting spot at United,

Peter Phillips challenges in an FA Cup tie at Bristol Rovers on 11 December 1971, which Rovers won 3-0. Photo: Cambridge Evening News.

even if it was in a wider position than his usual central striking role. But in January 1972 came a calamity that would eventually end his career.

At home against Southport, he suffered appalling injuries: fractured jaw, displaced cheekbone, swollen eye and three 15-inch gashes on a thigh. Assault or accident? Opinion was divided. Four years later the long-term effect of the injuries became clear when Phillips suffered an illness that necessitated a six-week hospital stay: the cheekbone had pierced a sinus and, over time, his body had been poisoned from within.

By 1976 he was in any case pursuing a career that would see him become a partner in the national accountancy firm MacIntyre Hudson and playing – as a sweeper of all things – for Old Wellingburians, his old school club. He retired in 2003 and now lives in the same Northamptonshire village in which he was born in 1946.

United’s Light Blue played 51 times between 1971 and 1974, scored 15 goals and set up quite a few more. Will we ever see a Cambridge graduate in the amber and black again?

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It's a glove thang

11/13/2015

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Want to ask one of United's most popular goalkeepers what makes him tick? Of course you do, and what's more, you want to do it in Marvin's Bar after the home game against Notts County on Saturday, November 28.

Danny Potter will be among us on that day, enjoying the hospitality of 100 Years of Coconuts and the club, watching as the U's romp to a thrilling victory and then facing the fans in a question-and-answer session.

What made him buy himself out of his Stevenage contract to play for the U's? What was it like playing for the biggest club in Cambridgeshire? How come there's always a smile on his face, and how did he nurture his warm relationship with the fans? Does he have a favourite memory of his time at the Abbey?

Make sure you don't miss this one. It's shaping up to be a standing-room-only belter.

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We are family

11/9/2015

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The following article appeared in the Cambridge United programme for the game against Basingstoke Town on Saturday, 7 November 2015.

Every one of us has regrets. Near the end of a life, and especially if that end is premature, those regrets sometimes start to weigh heavily.

At the end of July, Coconuts received an email from Australia, in which Kathryn Ayers wrote of her concern for her father Jim. ‘He has been told he only has weeks to live,’ she said.

‘He played in your reserve team when he was approximately 15 years old. His major regret is not continuing after he was ruled out for a year due to an eye injury sustained while playing. It is one of the few times he has been brought to tears.

‘I purchased a team shirt with his name on it and the lady in the store mentioned your site when I asked if it was likely that there would be any records of his time there.’

Part of Coconuts’ brief is an attempt to bring the extended U’s family closer together. We wrote to New South Wales, promising to find out as much as we could. Kathryn’s reply gave us an insight into her dad’s life.

Jim was born on 3 February 1948 in Gillingham, where his Royal Navy submariner father was based. The family’s move to Barton Mills put Jim reasonably close to the Abbey and, leaving school at the age of 15, he began to make a name for himself. Then came the eye injury.

‘After being told he needed a year off due to the eye injury he began working for an auto electrician,’ recalled Kathryn. ‘He came to Australia on a ship when he was 21, not long after stopping football, and met my mother, Shirley, on the ship. He then went to work in the mines in the Kimberleys [north-west Australia] before becoming an auto electrician here.’

Coconuts historian Andrew Bennett dug out a U’s Youth team programme from 26 November 1963, which showed Jim playing at centre half against Posh. We pointed Kathryn to parts of 100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk that her dad might enjoy, and we put her in touch with the man who had welcomed him into the United fold: Peter Reeve.

‘Dad has really enjoyed browsing your website and was absolutely gobsmacked when he saw the [programme] you sent,’ wrote Kathryn on August 6. ‘He couldn't believe anyone would’ve kept this.’

Jim Ayers: every manager's dream.

Team line-ups, Cambridge United Youth v Peterborough Youth, FA Youth Cup first round replay, 26 Nov 1963.

On September 22: ‘I received an email from Peter today. It was lovely and Dad and Mum were both brought to tears, it meant that much to him. Dad is doing reasonably well – he is fighting on and continuing to surprise doctors! Keeping my fingers crossed for a miracle.’

Peter remembers Jim as a quiet, respectful and honest young man, always giving of his best. ‘He was very reliable and popular with all the lads. He enjoyed his football and was proud to be playing at the club: every manager’s dream …

‘Hopefully there are some of his teammates still around whose own memories will be triggered if they get to read the article in the programme.’

Kathryn wrote on November 1: ‘I wanted to let you know that Dad passed away on the morning of October 29. Thank you again for all your help and support.’

We feel as if we got to know Jim over the last three months of his life. He, Kathryn and Shirley are family.

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After the Fall

11/5/2015

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Steve Fallon with friends and admirers in the Dion Dublin Bar, Abbey Stadium, 30 November 2015. From left, Kevin Higgins, Brian Higgins, Coconuts treasurer Tom McGrane, chair Pat Morgan, Steve Fallon, Coconuts committee member Alan Burge. Photo: Peter Leete.

Coconuts is pursuing its aim of welcoming at least one former player or manager to the Abbey at every home game – when we run out of players we'll start at the beginning again – and it was a real pleasure to have Steve Fallon among us last Friday.

Need a reminder of the facts and figures? Steve started a massive 446 games for the U's in all competitions, and made five sub appearances, between 1975 and 1987; he scored 30 goals, including one at Gillingham that some

say was the best U's score they've ever seen; he turned into a highly successful manager with Cambridge City, Histon and Soham Town Rangers, and has just started his second spell at Bridge Road; Ron Atkinson, who signed him for United from Kettering, once called him the best young centre-half in the country, and not many people argued at the time.

Steve is a lovely bloke: modest, unassuming, affable, generous. It was great to have him with us.

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Russell Crane: what a guy

The Light Blue U

It's a glove thang

We are family

After the Fall

Happy Harry's blog

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