![]() It is Saturday 30th May 1970 and supporters of Cambridge United are anxiously awaiting news from the Cafe' Royal in London. The news will confirm if the club has successfully been elected into the Football League. It is not automatically accepted that they will be elected. Re-election to the Football League would continue to be used until 1986 as a process by which the worst-placed clubs in the league had to reapply for their place in the league, while non-league clubs could apply for a league place. It was the only way for clubs in the non-league. Rarely did the clubs vote for change and those seeking re-election would normally remain in the league. However, Cambridge United are hopeful that all the hard work undertaken during the previous months and years will be enough this time to give the club their best ever chance of succeeding in being elected. From the time when the Fourth Division was inaugurated in 1958 only in Peterborough United (1960) would be elected. Following 1970 only Hereford United (1972), Wimbledon (1977), and Wigan Athletic (1978) would be elected. It was very much an old pals act Clubs seeking re-election to remain in the Football League this year are Bradford Park Avenue, Newport, Hartlepool and Darlington. The U’s biggest rivals on the day for election were Wigan from the Northern League. The Bill Leivers and the players had gone away on a short tour in West Germany to take part in a tounament. They were preparing to play against Bonner S.C who had been formed in 1965 through the merger of Bonner FV and Tura Bonn. The Bonner S.C that day consisted of four internationals including Horacio Troche who had played in both the 1962 and 1966 World Cup finals. In 1966 he had captained Uruguay against England in the competitions opening match.
before folding and going into liquidation on 3 May 1974 with debts of £57,652. Having sold their Park Avenue ground a year earlier and Kevin Hector to Derby in 1966 for £34k they succumbed to their financial situation and loss of league status. The club known by the same name that currently plays in the National League North was founded in 1988. They were never able to recover from the shock of not being re-elected. For Cambridge United it would be the beginning of wonderful journey that has seen highs and lows. The club almost reaching the Premiership and then being relegated from the Football League. Like Bradford it has had financial problems and had to sell its ground. However, it has always had the desire to succeed. The ability to fight and never give up The 1970 Re-election votes Darlington FL 47 re-elected to Division Four Hartlepool FL 42 re-elected to Division Four Newport County FL 31 re-elected to Division Four Cambridge United SL 31 elected to Division Four Wigan Athletic NP 18 Bradford Park Ave FL 17 not-re-elected Cambridge City SL 2 Yeovil Town SL 1 Bedford Town SL 1 Hereford United SL 1 Morecambe NP 1 Romford SL 1 Boston United NP 0 Chelmsford City SL 0 Hillingdon Borough SL 0 Telford United SL 0 Wimbledon SL 0
No legal ruling was ever put in place regarding the decision to prevent televised football on a Saturday at 3pm, but the footballing blackout was put in place and until now the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League have all continued with it. This is known as the Saturday Blackout. The Premier League has agreed for the 3pm blackout to be lifted for the remainder of the 2019/2020 season due to the corona virus outbreak. Have you ever asked yourself why football matches kick off at 3pm on a Saturday. What is the history behind that time? Why have spectators and players throughout time attended matches then? The answer goes back to the nineteenth century when the Factory Act 1850 was introduced and most importantly a restriction and reduction of Saturday working hours. Factories would not be able to any longer keep their staff any later than 2pm. The recreational weekend afternoon had began. This meant workers would need to find a way of spending their spare time. Some of the changes it introduced in the Factory Act are shown below -
More free time on Saturday's meant that workers would start turning to drinking establishments on their free afternoons. This in turn led to churches to start forming football, athletic and sporting clubs to provide workers the opportunity of taking part in healthier activities. By starting football matches at 3pm would allow enough time for participants to leave work at 2pm and reach the location where the matches would take place. It would also allow for matches to be completed in daylight during the winter months The popularity of football continued to rise throughout the end of 19th and beginning of the twentieth centuries with many teams starting up through other institutions, factories, public schools and military establishments, The creation of Abbey United can be linked to the increasing number of workers required to work in the brick works which were growing up in the Barnwell area. It can also be linked to the local churches and the need to fill the workers recreational time during the early twentieth century with healthy activities.
READ THE NEWS - Read the Margate match report in the Cambridge News here
May 26th 1990 will be remembered in Cambridge United's history forever. It was the day the club made history and started a journey that almost finished in the Premier League. Below are some items that may help you remember the day. Please leave your memories and thoughts from the day by using the contact form below 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. 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.
John Beck first won promotion through the Play Off Final at Wembley against Chesterfield within months of taking over at Cambridge United. On the journey up the leagues and then onto the brink of the Premiership Cambridge United competed against sides with much bigger resources and beat them. For a period of time we were unstoppable. Below are nine matches that the U's won during this period and one from John's second spell in charge against Stoke away Plenty of goals and plenty of excitement. You may be able to think of some others that should be included. If so, let the coconuts team know. In March 2017 John was inducted into the Cambridge United Hall Of Fame. There will be few people involved with Cambridge United more worthy of being so
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