For the event, Will Barrett and Gabriella Giannachi from the ECFC Museum & Grecian Archive will be joined by Roger Titford (The Great Save, Supporters Trust At Reading, and writer for When Saturday Comes), Alex Alexandrou (The Football & War Network and Solihull Moors FC), Tim Bland (National Lottery Heritage Fund) and Richard Irving (The FSA).

The event begins at 10am on Wednesday, November 4, and can be joined at the below link:
https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/j/96069217248?pwd=NFdZZlNjTER5anB4bmlLMzlVWGpQZz09
• Meeting ID: 960 6921 7248
• Password: 510675

Should you wish to confirm attendance for the event in advance, or have any thoughts or questions, then please do contact the event coordinator via will.barrett@ecfc.co.uk

Please note, the three initial presentations will all be recorded via Zoom for documentation, research, and sharing, so please do let the hosts know if you would like them to ensure that you are excluded from any of the disseminated footage.

100yearsofcoconuts have purchased a flag to celebrate the clubs 50th anniversary since being elected into the Football League.
 
Having won the Southern League in 1970 the club were voted into the league replacing Bradford Park Avenue.

The flag was paid for from the profits following the launch of the Anniversary T'shirt

The T'shirts are still available to order  by clicking on the buttons below.

Malcolm Webster was a dependable, brave, athletic, efficient and occasionally awe-inspiring goal keeper for Cambridge United, He played in 286 games for the U’s as they rose from the Fourth Division to the Second and stayed there for six seasons.

He kept 90 clean sheets during that time, 22 of them coming in his debut season of 1976/77, when he was ever present as United won the Fourth Division title.

Malcolm is a native of Doncaster, where he was born on 12 November 1950, but it was in north London that he made his first impression on football. He was 18 when he made his League debut for Arsenal, being thrown in at the deep end against Tottenham at Highbury when Bob Wilson broke an arm. The Gunners lost 4-3 but Malcolm kept his place until he was floored for 12 weeks by glandular fever and the club signed a replacement in Geoff Barnett.

He played around 100 times for both Fulham and Southend but fell out of favour at Roots Hall and was released in 1976. Disillusioned with football, he was working in a friend’s furniture store when he was given a month’s trial by U’s boss Ron Atkinson. His first appearance came in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly against Mansfield at the Abbey, won 3-1 by the visitors.

Malcolm’s United career really kicked off in the first leg of the League Cup at Oxford on 14 August 1976, when he was outstanding in a 1-0 defeat. A string of impressive performances and a couple of penalty saves earned him a permanent contract, which he signed following a 4-0 September win over promotion favourites Watford.

Quickly establishing himself as a lively presence in the dressing room, a reliable shot-stopper and – despite a previous reputation as vulnerable to crosses – commanding in the air, Malcolm made the number one spot his own and was voted player of the year by Supporters’ Club members.

That season was the start of a happy and fruitful stay at Newmarket Road that saw the club establish itself in Division Two under John Docherty. Malcolm’s last game as a U came in a 0-0 draw at Oldham on 4 February 1984, but he was back in 1986 as Chris Turner began the process of turning United’s fortunes around.

After a break from football starting in 1988, he began a coaching career that was remarkable for its longevity and successes. Malcolm was in great demand as a coach, both at club and at the goalkeeping school he ran.

Below is Malcolm's best ever eleven -

Kieth Brannagan

Brendon Batson. Chis Turner. Steve Fallon. Jamie Murray.

Steve Spriggs. Tom Finney. Floyd Street Willie Watson.

Alan Biley. George Reilly

Subs.Malcolm Webster.
Dave Stringer.
Lyndsey Smith.
Jim Hall.
Sammy Morgan
Best Manager.John Docherty
Best Physio.Pete Melville.

Malcolm Webster’s All Time Best XI

Keith Brannagan- Goalkeeper. Born in Fulham and joined United straight from school. Made his debut at seventeen years old. Was an ever present in the 1986/87 season and played a total of 138 first team games for the U’s, before joining ex manager John Docherty at Millwall for £100,000.

Brendon Batson- Right Back. Born in Grenada, West Indies in 1953. Signed for Cambridge United from Arsenal in 1974 for the bargain price of £5,000 after manager Bill Leivers had been quoted £50,000 a few months earlier. The first black player to appear in the Gunners first team and featured ten times before his move.  Was captain and an integral part of Ron Atkinson’s Forth Division Championship team. Overall played 180 first team matches for the U’s before joining up with Atkinson at West Bromwich Albion.

Chris Turner-Centre Back. The only player to feature in as an all time favourite for both Cambridge United and Peterborough United. A true legend at the Abbey and London Road. Played 100 matches for the U’s and later became manager, turning fortunes around after the disastrous regimes of John Ryan and Ken Shellito and setting up the foundation of John Beck’s double promotion team.

Steve Fallon- Centre Back. If it wasn’t for a knee injury at 29 years old it’s almost certain Steve would of been the record appearance holder for United. As it is, he is only bettered by Steve Spriggs. Within a month becoming United manager Ron Atkinson went back to former club Kettering to snatch Steve from under the noses of Peterborough. Played a total of 447 first team games and was awarded Cambridge Evening News Player of the Year award a record three times.

Jamie Murray- Left Back. Possibly the best full back to play for United. Scottish by birth but moved with his family to Aylesbury when he was 5 years old. Joined United in 1975 from Rivet Sports along with team mate Floyd Street. A total of 269 appearances for the U’s, including 147 consecutive matches from November 1980 to January 1984. Also played for Sunderland and Brentford.

Steve Spriggs- Midfield. Cambridge United’s record appearance holder and a mainstay of the double promotion winning team of the seventies. Short in stature but big on endeavour, effort and dedication. Hard tackling and with a ferocious shot, Steve was the heart and soul of United for 12 years and played under six different managers. Total of 448 appearances and 60 goals.

Tom Finney-Midfield. The idol of the Habbin Stand regulars in the 1970’s. The Northern Ireland international joined United from Sunderland in 1976 and became the first current international at Cambridge, winning seven more caps while at the Abbey, including going to the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Brave to the extent of foolhardiness, Tom never pulled out of a tackle and won a reputation with referees that dogged him throughout his career. A total of 352 appearances and 65 goals.

Floyd Streete- Midfield. Turned professional with United at 16 years old after coming off a factory production line an playing part-time for Rivet Sports in Luton. Floyd was a powerful midfield with the build of a heavyweight boxer who could also fill in at centre back and even up front. A total of 142 appearances and 20 goals.

Graham “Willie” Watson- Midfield. A true Cambridge United legend.  A fans favourite for most of the 1970’s. Willie’s enthusiasm, spirit and dedication combined with great vision made him the first name on the team sheet for almost a decade under three different managers. The £5,000 United paid for him is described as the best money they ever spent. After six years he was sold to Lincoln for £15,000 then came back on a free transfer. Total of 233 appearances and 30 goals.

Alan Biley- Forward. Speedy left winger turned into a striker by United’s assistant manager Paddy Sowden when he was snapped up from Sowden’s previous club Luton Town. A skilful, fast goal scorer with lots of flair and an eye for the spectacular. Became something of a cult hero with United fans with his Rod Stewart hair cut and George Best habit of clutching the inside of his shirt cuffs which tended to rip the stitching from the shoulder. Total of 187 appearances and 88 goals.

George Reilly-Forward. United paid a club record £140,000 for George when he moved from Northampton in 1979. He soon struck up a partnership with Alan Biley. The pair knocking in 13 goals in 10 games before Biley left to join Derby County.  Reilly left United for Watford in 1983 and played in the 1984 FA Cup Final, He went on to play for Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion before Chris Turner brought him back the U’s in 1988. Total of 178 appearances and 50 goals. 

100yearsofcoconuts have be able to upload the Cambridge News Light Blue paper for the season 1970/71.

This is the first season following the clubs election into the Football League

Read the papers by clicking on the link here

You can read the papers from previous seasons by clicking on the links below

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 1969/70 can be seen by clicking here
Cambridge News Post 1970/71 can be seen by clicking here

It was back in 2005 that it all began when I responded to my husband with, ‘I can paint that for you,’ as he contemplated bidding for a hand-painted Peru 2nd Subbuteo team that was listed on ebay, A few days later, after being given the challenge of proving my words, there presented to my husband was, rather strangely, not a Peru team but two national football teams representing Pakistan and India.

Why it started with those teams, I’m not sure. I think I just wanted to do something a little different, unique perhaps. We decided to try and sell them on ebay and see if there was any interest. A week later and with nearly £40 in hand from some eager Italian Subbuteo collectors, I thought there might be something in this. I had always enjoyed art from an early age but I had never once considered that I might paint miniature footballers to earn some extra income.

At that time, I was still working on weekdays until about 3pm each day, but, as my husband only arrived home around 6pm, I decided to use those spare hours to paint up some more national teams from around the world that Subbuteo had never produced. Before long, I was receiving requests from literally on my doorstep in Wirral to places as far away as New Zealand. It seemed that lots of people wanted the team they supported painting or a team that they had longed for Subbuteo to produce but had never happened.

Unfortunately, my ‘proper’ work closed a few years later and I was officially unemployed. With family commitments high on the agenda, and my husband still working, we decided that we would give it a go and I would try to work from home making as much as I could reasonably expect in order to add a little extra into the family pot. You’ll never make a fortune out of it, the hours painting are long and sometimes the only reward you get is the sense of achievement of seeing the team completed but it slots perfectly into our family routine.

After nearly 15 years of persevering, I have built up some much valued, friendly and regular buyers, who themselves have built up some very unique collections mostly through ebay and also through commissioned work that I take on when I have the time. I’ve engaged with the Subbuteo community and general football fans from all corners of Europe and sometimes further afield, people with a genuine passion for collecting Subbuteo or for football in general. I like to feel that I am creating something that little bit special and bespoke that ypu can’t really find elsewhere.

Anyway, onto the subject that you are all probably most interested in; Cambridge United. ‘Why Cambridge? And why 1961-63?’ you may ask. Well, as I mentioned earlier, I have always attempted to find something that bit different, something which captures the imagination through not just its football legacy but the artistic interpretation. I’ll always be an artist first and foremost whilst my husband who assists me will always be the avid football fan.  I draw on his knowledge of football, considerably built up from traipsing across the country watching a lower division football team, and what he would be interested in, to inspire my choice of teams and kits. I have come to learn that if he would buy it, then so would others. Retro, is massive with him, and I had originally concentrated on recreating winners of competitions from across Europe from past years. However, I was constantly getting requests for retro shirts from other clubs as people came across my work so I began to look into some of the ‘smaller’ (sorry to use that phrase) clubs from England and Scotland. These were the clubs that were the true heart of their local communities where people, akin to my husband, had built up lifelong allegiances but struggled to get any unique merchandise, or for that matter any merchandise, for Christmas and birthday presents. Believe me, I have been there so many times trawling through the internet for that special item.

Therefore, I decided to add commissioned Subbuteo club frames and prints

You can contact Helen via on twitter @helcol123subbu1 or #helcol123subbuteo.

The Subbuteo team can  be purchased via The ebay link is:- 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193655750532?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of the U's being elected into the Football League. The club & 100 years of coconuts have some exciting things planned to celebrate this special occasion. 100 Years of Coconuts, the football clubs history group, have created a commemorative T'shirt to celebrate & mark the occassion.

All proceeds from the T'shirt sales will go towards supporters initiatives and the groups projects

T shirts are available in a wide range of colours and are available to buy here today:

Order your T'shirt here - tinyurl.com/y34gdlk3

Over the past couple of years ‘100 Years of Coconuts’ have been working hard to assemble a full set of Abbey/Cambridge United match-day programmes for the club’s museum/archive. The library is coming together very well but there are still a lot of gaps (mainly 1948-1970).

Coconuts also has a similar sized library of spares which it has been selling in order to raise funds to purchase required ones (when they become available).

If you would like to donate any United programmes (or enquire about the availability of spare programmes), email:
richard.toombs@btopenworld.com