IAN ASHBEE
Ian Ashbee is a legend at not one, but two clubs. He is revered at Hull City who, quite remarkably, he captained in all four divisions of the football league – the first man ever to do so. But he made his name, he established himself in English football, at the Abbey stadium. In total Ian made 235 appearances for the U’s.
In late 1996 the U’s were a middling fourth tier side when manager Roy McFarland brought in on trial a youngster he had been nurturing at his old club Derby County. The 20-year-old Ian Ashbee, an ex-England schoolboy international, impressed in the United reserves and was signed on a free transfer. Ian could play at full back or in midfield, McFarland told the United fans, but he made his debut at right wing back at Torquay on December 28th. It wasn’t long before McFarland would play Ian at centre back, too.
That McFarland team really clicked into gear in the 1998-99 season, only missing out on the Third Division championship to Brentford on the final day. Ian made the majority of his 25 starts at left back that year and he was duly handed the No.3 shirt the following season when squad numbers were first introduced. That first season back in the third tier was a tough one for the U’s but Ian Ashbee thrived, mainly in central midfield alongside another United legend and Hall of Famer Paul Wanless – what an engine room that was! This is how most U’s fans will remember Ian, the tough-tackling, whole-hearted midfielder.
Ian missed just one league game that year, and just two the following season when United again just survived the drop. Ian didn’t score many goals in amber and black – just 11 in his six seasons – but his 25-yard free-kick at Northampton on Good Friday 2001 stands out a mile.
Roy McFarland was replaced by the returning John Beck, and he shook the side up with a raft of new faces – but even John was not going to break up that powerhouse midfield. The U’s were eventually relegated in 2001-02 but Ian was a key part of the very young United side that lined up for the final of the LDV trophy final at Millenium Stadium, Cardiff. As the inevitable drop drew close the U’s suffered a horrible 5-0 loss at Wrexham. Ian was acting skipper that day and, after the game, he demanded his colleagues should have a whip round to help compensate the travelling U’s fans. Look no further for clues as to why he was such a success captaining Hull City.
That relegation signalled the start of a slide that would take the cash-strapped Cambridge United back down into non-League football. It was no great surprise, therefore, that the U’s didn’t have the funds to hold on to Ian Ashbee the following season, and he duly signed for Hull. His success on Humberside came despite being diagnosed with a degenerative bone condition that at one point threatened not only his football career but his ability to walk!
Ian Ashbee is a legend at not one, but two clubs. He is revered at Hull City who, quite remarkably, he captained in all four divisions of the football league – the first man ever to do so. But he made his name, he established himself in English football, at the Abbey stadium. In total Ian made 235 appearances for the U’s.
In late 1996 the U’s were a middling fourth tier side when manager Roy McFarland brought in on trial a youngster he had been nurturing at his old club Derby County. The 20-year-old Ian Ashbee, an ex-England schoolboy international, impressed in the United reserves and was signed on a free transfer. Ian could play at full back or in midfield, McFarland told the United fans, but he made his debut at right wing back at Torquay on December 28th. It wasn’t long before McFarland would play Ian at centre back, too.
That McFarland team really clicked into gear in the 1998-99 season, only missing out on the Third Division championship to Brentford on the final day. Ian made the majority of his 25 starts at left back that year and he was duly handed the No.3 shirt the following season when squad numbers were first introduced. That first season back in the third tier was a tough one for the U’s but Ian Ashbee thrived, mainly in central midfield alongside another United legend and Hall of Famer Paul Wanless – what an engine room that was! This is how most U’s fans will remember Ian, the tough-tackling, whole-hearted midfielder.
Ian missed just one league game that year, and just two the following season when United again just survived the drop. Ian didn’t score many goals in amber and black – just 11 in his six seasons – but his 25-yard free-kick at Northampton on Good Friday 2001 stands out a mile.
Roy McFarland was replaced by the returning John Beck, and he shook the side up with a raft of new faces – but even John was not going to break up that powerhouse midfield. The U’s were eventually relegated in 2001-02 but Ian was a key part of the very young United side that lined up for the final of the LDV trophy final at Millenium Stadium, Cardiff. As the inevitable drop drew close the U’s suffered a horrible 5-0 loss at Wrexham. Ian was acting skipper that day and, after the game, he demanded his colleagues should have a whip round to help compensate the travelling U’s fans. Look no further for clues as to why he was such a success captaining Hull City.
That relegation signalled the start of a slide that would take the cash-strapped Cambridge United back down into non-League football. It was no great surprise, therefore, that the U’s didn’t have the funds to hold on to Ian Ashbee the following season, and he duly signed for Hull. His success on Humberside came despite being diagnosed with a degenerative bone condition that at one point threatened not only his football career but his ability to walk!