Bill Leivers was the manager who took Cambridge United to Southern League titles in 1969 and 1970 and guided the club through its first few years in the Football League.

The 100yearsofcoconuts interview was  carried out at his home in Cornwall in 2014 The interviewer was Patrick Morgan.

This interview is in seven parts and Bill discusses his time time at Cambridge United, transfers, players and moves towards League status, his time in the Football League as manager and his later days at the Abbey.

At the end of the late 1960s, Bradford Park Avenue   were in a sorry state. The end of the 1969/70 season saw the club finish at the bottom of the Fourth Division for the third season in a row. 

As the votes came through there were gasps of shock as the vote for Bradford became known and the realisation that it would not be enough this time to save them.  Darlington Hartlepool and Newport had survived. Cambridge United of the Southern League were elected to the Football League. Even Wigan from the Northern League had achieved more votess than Bradford who finished in sixth place.

Cambridge United took Bradford’s place in the League and Bradford slipped into the Northern Premier League where they would remain for four further seasons

During 1963 the Burnley chairman Bob Lord wrote in his autobiography that live coverage of matches would seriously damage and undermine attendances. He convinced fellow chairmen that televised matches on Saturday afternoons would have a negative effect on the crowd numbers attending football league matches elsewhere not being televised. This would in turn result in a reduction of the financial income for other clubs

When the BBC started to broadcast Match of the Day in 1964 he refused to have cameras at Turf Moor and maintained the ban for a further five years concerning the  televising  of matches from Burnley's ground.

Rev Walter Warr, curate of the Abbey Church, was an
early president of Abbey United.

The Church of St Andrew, Newmarket Road, otherwise known as the Abbey Church, in about 1865.

1969/70 Saturday 2nd May 1969 a day of reckoning for Cambridge United, a day that was to shape the next 35 years. Mid table Margate were the visitors to the Abbey, mathematically United needed a win to secure the Southern League Championship for the second season running although a draw would be enough providing Yeovil didn’t win by more than 4 goals at home to mid table Brentwood Town. A second successive title would go a long away to helping United gain enough votes at the annual meeting of league clubs at the end of the month to secure election into the Football League. The previous evening 14,000 fans had crammed into the Abbey Stadium to see Chelsea and former United star Ian Hutchinson bring the FA Cup to Barnwell, but the shirt-sleeved crowd of 5,298 on Saturday created far more atmosphere  as they watched the U’s stake their claim for that coveted place in the league. They were made to wait, with Margate “parking the bus”, and despite Bill Cassidy and Roly Horrey both hitting the woodwork the score remained 0-0. Then in the 80th minute United were awarded a penalty. As leading scorer George Harris stepped up to take it nervous silence fell on the stadium. Harris later revealed “you cannot imagine how nervous I was. I decided to get it over with quickly, then I remembered taking one in a similar situation at Reading. On that occasion I rushed it and missed, so this time I waited and settled. Boy I was glad to see the ball hit the back of the net! That moment I knew I had won something at last.
The crowd erupted. Two minutes later nerves were completely rested when Cassidy doubled the lead and with only seven minutes left the celebrations in the stands began. Shortly after the final whistle the massive championship shield was paraded around the pitch among the most of the fans who had joyously invaded the playing area.
Unbelievably, United still had five Eastern Professional Floodlit League matches to play before 15th May, needing two points the secure that title also. A 0-0 draw at home to Boston United on the following Tuesday was followed by another draw, 2-2 at Cambridge City to clinch the league and give the U’s another League Championship. So, with a squad of less than 20 United had completed 73 first team competitive matches and won two trophies.
Surely the club had done enough to attract enough votes to gain entry into the Football League? United’s average home attendance was better than any of the four clubs seeking re-election, Newport County, Darlington, Hartlepool United and Bradford Park Avenue. In a final PR stunt the club had three girls in miniskirts parading outside the League meeting with placards saying “Please vote for Cambridge United” and “Cambridge needs League Football”. There was a gasp of amazement when the voting results were announced. Bradford PA could only muster 17 votes while United gained 31 along with Newport County. The other non-league hopeful, Wigan Athletic only managed 16 and Cambridge City just 2 votes. When the players, who had recently left on a tour of Germany, were told of United’s election manager Bill Leivers declared “I never doubted we would get in. Our performances over the last two years made sure we would. Now we have to show that we merit the member’s decision”. Meanwhile euphoria was gripping the city and fans were planning a big welcome home for the players and manager. Coach loads of cheering supporters met them at Royston and along with the City of Ely Brand escorted them into the city and to a civic reception at the Guildhall hosted by the Mayor George Dean.

1989/90 With the first leg of the Forth Division Play-off Semi Final finishing in a 1-1 draw and giving the away goal advantage to Maidstone. The second leg played at Maidstone’s temporary ground at Dartford was always going to be a tense affair with the Stones determined to keep the score at 0-0 and go through on the away goal rule. After 90 minutes and the first period of extra time it remained goalless, but United’s class paid off early in the second half of extra time with Dion Dublin and manager John Beck seizing the moment. With Maidstone winning a rare corner Beck leaves three players on the half way line, the ball is quickly cleared to Dublin who runs with it and scores at the second attempt. Two minutes later Dublin is fouled for a penalty which Alan Kimble scores to send hoards of United fans into ecstasy. Suddenly the atmosphere is something those present will never forget with players sharing their champagne with fans at the final whistle. The procession back through the Dartford Tunnel was Italian-like with car horns sounding and flags waving.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Before this season the Play-Off Final had been decided on a home and away basis. Now they were a one-off occasion at Wembley. So United’s match with Chesterfield was the first ever to be played at Wembley. Both teams were strangers to the national stadium with United’s Colin Bailie being the only player on either side to have played there before (in the Simod Cup for Reading in 1988). A mostly uneventful match was turned in the 77th minute when United won a corner. Steve Claridge rebuked Dion Dublin for taking up a position at the far post. Dublin duly scuttled to the near post and headed home the winner. Cambridge United became the first club to win a Play-Off Final at Wembley and after 5 years in the basement of the Football League the U’s were on the way back up. The season was climaxed with an open top bus procession through the city a few days later.

An edited version of this article appeared in the Cambridge United matchday programme for the game against Mansfield on 19 December 2015.

It’s amazing what you find when you’re not really looking. A routine trawl by Coconuts volunteers through some of the Abbey’s gloomier hidey-holes three years ago uncovered this rather battered and unburnished trophy.

We were puzzled at first, but as the Coconuts elves set to work with the Goddard’s Long Term Silver Polish (it’s got hallmarks and everything), we were delighted to discover it played a small but important role in the history of Cambridge United.
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Behold the National Playing Fields Association Challenge Cup in all its dented glory. If you could read the inscription you would see it was presented by Lt Col JCW Francis MBE.

Ring any bells? John Clement Wolstan Francis, who died in 1978, was a nephew of the Henry Clement Francis who in 1931 gave Abbey United the land that would become the Abbey Stadium, and a cousin of Walter Maclaren Francis, one of the club’s first directors when a limited company was formed in 1950.

The shields pinned to the base reveal that the cup was won by Arsenal in 1963/64 and an unnamed club the following season. What was that club, we wondered. We needed to start digging deep into U’s history, and that meant asking historian extraordinaire and Coconuts committee man Andrew Bennett.

Turns out that when manager Bill Leivers arrived at the Abbey in 1967, his first official fixture in charge was on March 15, at home to a young Arsenal XI that included Charlie George, Pat Rice, Sammy Nelson and future U Dave Simmons. The teams were competing for the Playing Fields Association Cup, which went to United thanks to two Derek Finch goals.

Arsenal, who were the mystery 1965 winners having beaten Cambridge City 2-1 at Milton Road (it wasn’t contested in 1966), had left the cup at Highbury, so local rugby legend Dickie Jeeps, who was at the Abbey to present the cup, was left twiddling his thumbs and shaking a few hands.

But Leivers had won a trophy in his first game and United eventually got their hands on a piece of silverware that was to remain theirs for ever and a day: 1967 was the last time this game was played.

We wanted to know more, and that meant talking to official City historian Neil Harvey, for Andrew’s research had shown that our crosstown rivals were prime movers in the Playing Fields Association Cup games.

Neil found that before 1967, City had always hosted and played in the ‘final-only’ competition, which raised funds for the Cambs and Hunts Playing Fields Association: in 1965 Waterbeach got £300 towards the cost of a new pavilion, for example.

The Milton Road crew had played Cambs FA in 1949/50, Ely City in 57/58 and 60/61, Wisbech Town in 61/62 and Arsenal ‘A’ in 63/64 and 64/65. The trophy had indeed been given by Lt Col Francis, the local association’s president, Neil reported.

Questions remain: why did United and not City play the Gunners in 1967? Why did the contest cease to exist? Why does the trophy’s inscription mention the National Playing Fields Association rather than the Cambridgeshire branch? If you know the answers, please drop us a line at 100yearsofcoconuts@gmail.com.

The NPFA, nowadays known as Fields in Trust, retains its original purpose, and that is ‘to safeguard recreational spaces and campaign for better statutory protection for all kinds of outdoor sites’. It’s a worthwhile cause.

1969/70 With three league matches left the Southern League Championship had become a two horse race between United and Yeovil Town. So when United travelled to the Glovers on 25th April the result would be looked upon as a possible decider for the championship trophy. After a long run of injuries the only absentee from the regular United line-up was Mel Slack who was suffering from tonsillitis. The match resulted in a heavy 4-1 defeat. Yeovil took the lead mid way through the first half and it remained 1-0 until the final 15 minutes when the home side scored three more and George Harris scored United’s consolation goal two minutes from time. This now left United having to win their remaining two matches to be sure to win the Championship. Both matches were at home. For the first on the Thursday against mid table Worcester City Rodney Slack was recalled in goal, Mel Slack got up from his sick bed and Roly Horrey was preferred in place of John Gregson. Tension was high among the amber and black faithful but nerves were soon clamed when Harris gave United the lead after 75 seconds and were further clamed in the 36th minute when Colin Meldrum doubled the lead. Harris completed the scoring in the second half to give the U’s a 3-0 victory and put them back on top of the table, one point ahead of Yeovil with one match to go. A win two days later at home to Margate would give United their second successive Southern League Championship.

There was an extra complication in the way of United’s preparation for the title decider. As part of the Ian Hutchinson transfer deal to Chelsea in 1968 the first division club had agreed to play a friendly match at the Abbey and the date set for the match Friday 1st May fell a day after and a day before the last two league matches.  The match certainly captured the imagination of the Cambridge public. Chelsea, who had two days before defeated Leeds United in the FA Cup Final replay, paraded the cup around the ground in a lap of honour before kick-off in front of 14,000 spectators.

Chelsea fielded nine of their cup winning team, including Hutchinson. United started the game with a full first team. Chelsea took the lead in first half through an Alan Birchenall goal. At half time United’s first team were replaced by Chelsea’s reserves and the match became more of an exhibition with the team in Amber and Black running out 4-3 winners.

The following day Cambridge United’s destiny was in their own hands. A win against Margate and the Southern League Championship would be theirs and they would have a great chance of gaining election into the Football League. They were already the bookmakers favourites to gain enough votes at the end of season meeting of League clubs, Bradford Park Avenue the most likely to drop out.

1989/90 With two matches left United still had three places and two points to make up if they were to make a play-off place. The penultimate league match was at home against Gillingham on Tuesday 1st May. A Dion Dublin goal on 18 minutes give the U’s the lead which they hang onto until the 67th minute when Gillingham’s Lovell equalises. Manager John Beck throws caution to the wind and gambles everything on playing with five forwards and leaving just three at the back. It pays off and Phil Chapple heads home Chris Leadbitter’s corner with 10 minutes left to give United the points and move them up to seventh. Three teams can still catch United, Peterborugh, Chesterfield and Lincoln all have home fixtures while United travel to Aldershot.

Off the field the club had made some changes with John Beck being given a one year rolling contract and David Ruston stepping down as Chairman to be replace by Reg Smart. Ruston’s dedication was rewarded when he became only the club’s second ever President.

Over 2,000 fans made the trip to Aldershot where Michael Cook gives the United the lead in 36th minute and Michael Cheetham penalty confirms the win early in the second half. The U’s fans party in the Hampshire sunshine is slightly dampened by Liam Daish’s red card for a reckless tackle late on in the game.

United are paired with Maidstone United in the Play-Off semi final. The first leg at home on Sunday 13th May ends in a 1-1 draw after another Cheetham penalty gave United the lead early in the second half Mark Gall scores what is described by some as a deserved equaliser in the last minute. Still all to play for in the second leg.

1969/70 After going top of the Southern League the previous Saturday, United now faced another three matches in a week and on Monday 13th April made light work in defeating relegation threatened Gloucester City at the Abbey. Goals from Malcolm Lindsay, Bill Cassidy and George Harris gave the U’s a 3-0 win. Championship rivals Yeovil Town were the next visitors to the Abbey on the Thursday and proved a much more difficult task. United went into the top of the table clash on the back of nine consecutive wins in 24 days, scoring 21 goals and keeping seven clean sheets in the process.

With injuries to McKinven, Hardy and Mel Slack United were down to just eleven fit players and had to play a partly fit Meldrum in midfield. Despite the U’s having the best of the first half Yeovil took the lead just before the break with Thompson scoring direct from a free kick. Half way through the second period Yeovil went further ahead when a miss hit cross by Myers flew over Keith Barkers head into the U’s goal. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of United’s walking wounded and Harris’s goal in added on time was little consolation.

The match, watched by 5,775, was United’s first defeat in ten matches saw them slip into second place a point behind Yeovil but with two games in hand. With the return match at Yeovil looming, it was a patched up United squad that traveled to Kettering the following Monday but they got off to the perfect start when John Gregson scored with a 40 yard thunderbolt after just ten seconds and Cassidy made it 2-0 inside five minutes. The Poppies did get one back after the break but a George Harris penalty made it 3-1 and put the U’s back on top of the table. It was the 12th away win of the season.

The previous week the Cambs FA had ordered United and Cambridge City, who were also chasing a league title and promotion, to play the semi-final of the Cambs Professional Cup the day after the Kettering match and four days before the trip to Yeovil. Both clubs were supposed to play their strongest teams but 17 year old trialist  David Hall played his only U’s game and the substitute was 16 year old Jay Yoffe (wonder what happened to them?). Goals from Cassidy, Harris and Horrey gave United a 3-0 lead but City hit back with goals from Stan Marshall and Eric Way. The match, which a few years previously would have attracted 6 or 7 thousand, was watched by 1,478. The final was never played owing to fixture congestion.

1989/90 As in 1969/70 a massive fixture congestion was requiring United to play five matches in twelve days. Tuesday 17th April saw the U’s at home to fellow play-off hopefuls Lincoln City. The Imps came with only one thing on their mind and packed their defence with red shirts but were eventually beaten when Steve Claridge scored just before the break. A mix up between John Taylor and John Vaughan hands Lincoln an equaliser and prompts the red wall to reform again. It takes a 30 yard deflected drive from Alan Kimble in the 85th to give the U’s all three points. Next up was a trip to arch rivals Peterborough who were also chasing a play-off place. The home fans in a crowd of 9,257 were stunned in the first minute  when a shot from Michael Cheetham catches goalkeeper Tony Godden half asleep and gives the U’s the lead. A superb strike from Posh’s Noel Luke early in the second half brings them level but a Dion Dublin header in the 78th minute gives United the points and sends the Amber Army home happy.   

Two days later they were brought down to earth with a bang when promotion hunting Stockport County came to the Abbey and took the points back north with 2-0 win courtesy of two goals by League leading scorer Brett Angel. United’s dream of making the play-offs is fading. Another two days and United are on the road to Chesterfield to face yet another play-off hopeful team. The hosts take a early lead when Jamie Hewitt fires them in front in five minutes but Claridge equalises just before the break and the match finishes 1-1. United are now in a position where they have to win their three remaining matches and hope other drop points if they are to make the play-offs.

There’s the rare luxury of a four day break before the visit of already relegated Colchester. It turns out the easiest win of the season with three goals from Alan Kimble including two penalties and one from Claridge without reply from Non League doomed Colchester. With results elsewhere going United’s way, they are now in charge of their own destiny, two wins from the remain two games will see them in the play-offs with a chance of being in the first ever play-off final at Wembley.   

1989/90 Easter Monday 1990 the U’s were at home to Scarborough on a rain soaked Abbey pitch goals from Phil Chapple, John Taylor, Michael Cheetham and two Alan Kimble penalties gave United a 5-0 lead and it wasn’t until the 80th and 86th minutes when Scarborough started fight back, too little too late.

The Wednesday saw the U’s travel up to Carlisle and suffer a heavy defeat by 3 goals to 1, another Kimble penalty being the only joy. Saturday 6th April the U’s were at Scunthorpe where a Taylor goal earned a 1-1 draw.

The next Tuesday United were back on home soil against Hartlepool, two first half strikes by Steve Claridge and Dion Dublin won the points with Hartlepool replying with four minutes left.

Promotion chasing Burnley away looked to be a much stiffer test but United blitzed the sorry looking Lancastrians with goals from Dublin, Chapple and Daish with Burnley’s only reply coming from a 90th minute penalty by Ron Futhcer. United moved up two places and were now in thirteenth place seven points from a play-off place and sixteen off the leaders Exeter City 

1969/70 Easter is always a busy time for football and 1970 was no exception. After the 4-0 thrashing of Hereford United on Easter Saturday, reported in the last programme, United faced two matches in two days. The first on Easter Monday away at old foes Chelmsford City was won by a single goal scored on the hour by George Harris. The U’s new sweeper system kept the Clarets at bay. In the return match the following day at the Abbey, watched by 4,168, Peter Leggett was the architect of Chelmsford’s downfall. Tearing the Clarets defence apart he first set up Harris who’s shot hit the bar and rebounded to Malcolm Lindsay who scored with a diving header. The second was again set up by Leggett, again Lindsay scored. With three wins and six points over four days manager Bill Leivers was prompted to say in the local press “this is the most exciting period in my career and in the history of Cambridge United. Make no mistake Cambridge United and Bill Leivers are on the way up”.

The next visitors to the Abbey on the following Saturday were Poole Town who were proving hard to beat having drawn half of their games to date. A superb volley by Colin Meldrum on 31 minutes gave the U’s the lead and another goal in the second half by Lindsay sealed the points despite a late consolation goal for Poole in the 89th minute. The games were still coming thick and fast and the following Monday an injury hit squad travelled to Brentwood where a 56th minute John Gregson goal gave them both points.

To avoid clashing with the Leeds v. Chelsea FA Cup Final United’s home match with Barnet was arranged for the Friday evening and a healthy crowd of 4,286 turned up to watch the U’s win by the odd goal in seven. Barnet took a two goal lead early in the game but goals from Denis Walker and Bill Cassidy made it all square at half-time. In the 73rd minute the visitors yet again took the lead but Lindsay equalised within a minute and four minutes later Leggett was brought down in the box, the resulting penalty was calmly slotted home by Harris and the Abbey erupted. United were now top of the table for the first time that season, with six games to go.