 Ray Ruffett 1924-2021 Cambridge United lost its oldest surviving former player with the death on September 29, at the age of 97, of Ray Ruffett. The club and the former players’ association extend their condolences to the family and friends of a much-loved friend and colleague. A skilful and influential ball-playing wing half, Ray signed for Abbey United in 1950 and stayed on as the club became Cambridge United the following year. Over five seasons he turned out 200 times for the U’s, contributing four goals and captaining the side from 1951 onwards. He was born in Luton on 24 July 1924 and, after appearing for England schoolboys, played for the town’s club during World War II before signing up for the army. Flying with the 6th Airborne Division’s glider-borne infantry forces, he saw action in Greece, in the Allies’ 1944 landings in Normandy and in the battle of the Rhine crossing in 1945. The savage fighting that formed these actions no doubt helped to equip him with the cool level-headedness that he later displayed on the football pitch. Back at Kenilworth Road after demob, he waited a long time for his debut in the Football League’s Second Division. It arrived in April 1949, when the Hatters lost 3-1 at Bury – and Ray suffered an injury that limited further opportunities. He signed for Bill Whittaker’s Abbey United, then playing in the United Counties League, in the summer of 1950 at the age of 26, and made his first league appearance in a home draw against Corby Town. Soon he was a vital member of a stern but creative half-back line alongside Whittaker and Johnny Percival. He was an ever-present in the 1951-52 season, during which Abbey United became Cambridge United and stepped up to the Eastern Counties League. By now he was one of the fledgling professional club’s highest-paid players, earning £6 a week to complement the wages he earned as a commercial traveller. Player-manager Whittaker had no qualms about handing Ray the responsibility of captaining the side: he was, said the boss, the best man for the job – a shrewd and experienced tactician who was liked and respected by his teammates. He was seldom missing from the first team as his United career progressed, and the accolades kept coming. The Cambridge Daily News reporter was once moved to write: ‘Ray Ruffett moved about the field like a Roman emperor, calm, scientific, throwing out long passes to both wings with such an air of confident ease that I expected him at any minute to polish his nails.’ Ray played a key role in the thrilling FA Cup runs of 1953 and 1954, when the U’s beat Football League opposition for the first time, although the ECL title proved elusive. After a 1954-55 season in which United had exited the Cup in unfortunate circumstances at Torquay, he decided not to sign on for another season, preferring to join Biggleswade Town and shorten his commute from his home in Luton. No longer would he have to endure interminable bus-train-bus journeys via Hitchin to reach Newmarket Road. Apart from his years in the army, Ray spent his entire life in Luton. It was there that he died following a battle with cancer. Top Ray Ruffett receives the Cambs Invitation Cup from mayor Henry Langdon after United had beaten Cambridge City 2-0 in the final at Milton Road on 1 May 1952 Ray Ruffett below pictured by the Cambridge Daily News in the 1953-54 season   Afternoon all and a big welcome to the Cod Army from Fleetwood. Let’s hope that by the end of this afternoon’s proceedings they will have had their chips. As a recently departed footballing legend once famously said, football’s a funny old game. In the last fortnight we’ve been mauled at the Abbey by a bunch of pesky gargoyles from a cathedral city up north. We then proceed with our own Saturday afternoon raid amongst the naval dockyards of the south and dislodge the nose of one formerly presiding over said gargoyles. Play up, eh! Talking of the navy, a loose connection as our trip of sentimentality today takes us to the famous old army town of Aldershot whose side we hosted in a Conference fixture fourteen years ago today, in what was our third campaign in what I always refer to as the “blur”. To be fair nothing too much to get sentimental about that evening although our opponents, having had a pretty mediocre start to the season, went on to clinch the title with 31 wins and a points haul of 101. Whilst mere mortals like us and Burton contested the playoffs. I wonder who Aldershot’s manager was at the time……(Gary?) The programme is chunky at 64 pages and is interesting mainly because of some of the recent matches featured. The previous Saturday saw us at Stevenage, a memorable game with a great atmosphere and as the report says, “we” sang from 2pm to past 5. I do remember being particularly hoarse on the train home that day. And one of the few occasions in our history when we donned black and amber stripes, with white shorts and socks. You are, I know, enriched for that! If you wanted to give yourself a little shudder then flick to the chairman’s page and say to yourself, “there but for the grace of God we could be Swindon Town.” On this day in 1952 born in New York City to Barbara Pitney Lamb and Franklin D’Olier Reeve was American actor Christopher Reeve. Probably best known for his role as Clark Kent in ‘Superman’( 1978) and his horrific horseriding accident in 1995 which left him paralysed from the shoulders down. He died nine years later. On that sobering note enjoy the game this afternoon and don’t forget there’s another one coming on Tuesday. Harry,   /fternoon all and welcome to our old friends from Sincil Bank! A fixture I must say I always hold close to my heart. Who can forget those absolute 5-0 tonkings at the Abbey in 1974 and 1977! And that’s to say nothing of our Football League baptism on 15 August 1970 which has been documented here many times in the last twelve months or so. For our trip down the Lane this week we’re in 1982, the old division two and a home fixture v the Addicks from SE7. This was our fifth season punching well above our weight in the second tier and you wonder if the novelty was really wearing off with U’s fans. It had been a win-less start to the season but only 3,314 had turned up at the previous home game on 7 September against Barnsley to see us gain our first point of the campaign. Looking back to the old programme there are some fascinating features not least a report on the Miss Cambridge United competition of 1982! Would that even be allowed these days? Or would there have to be a corresponding Mr Cambridge United beauty parade too? Answers on a postcard to the club secretary. The Charlton line-up was interesting too. Paul Elliott, remember him? Went on to play for Villa and Chelsea as well as abroad in Italy but had to retire in 1994 after a bad knee injury. Steve White? The West Country goal machine. And Derek Hales. Well we certainly remember his strike partner, Mike Flanagan who actually was with QPR in 1982 but returned the following year to add to his eight seasons with the club in the 1970s. Flanagan joined the U’s prior the start of the 1986/7 season and only made seven league appearances but many readers here will remember his impact even though ongoing knee problems forced him to retire before even Christmas had taken hold that season. Charlton’s shirt sponsor was interesting that season although not sure if they were just a passing phase. Anyway, despite the first point gained at the previous home game we found ourselves 2-0 down at half time and it seemed as if the mediocre start to the deason was to continue. Goals however from Floyd Streete and a brace from George Reilly meant we were in front within twelve minutes of the restart and that’s the way it stayed, in front of a pathetic 3,162. I’d like to say that this heralded a good run of results. In truth we didn’t win again for another seven and a half weeks! The fact that we ended that season in twelfth place, two better than the previous, says it all for the second half of the campaign. The following 1983/84 season unfortunately saw the death knell ring as far as the second tier was concerned, and we wouldn’t be back again until 1991. At this point we always look back in time outside of CUFC to reminisce in some way. All I would say today is the World Trade Centre……... Enjoy the old programme and today’s game! Harry,   1978- The second successive promotion really put United on the football map. For the first time ever they would be entering the FA Cup at the 3rd round stage, being in the top 44 League clubs in the country. Second place in the third division was achieved with mainly the same squad. Terry Owen (father of Michael) and Sammy Morgan a Northern Ireland international were the only new signings. There was however a big change on the managerial side with Atkinson departing for West Bromwich Albion, soon to take full back Brendan Batson with him and form what became known as football’s “Three Degrees” with Cyril Regis and Laurie Cunningham. Atkinson left United in early January with United sitting in fourth place and any worries that form would be affected were laid to rest by the end of the month when United hit top spot and remained in the top 3 until the end of the season under the guidance of duel managers John Docherty and Paddy Sowden. The fact that it’s really hard to pick out any outstanding individuals highlights the fact that it was an all-round team effort. If pushed I would have to say Tom Finney with his combative midfield play and the battering ram centre forward play of Sammy Morgan made the most difference. But it’s hard to ignore the contributions of Fallon, Biley, and Spriggs as it was the previous season, also those of Malcolm Webster in goal, Lindsay Smith and the ever reliable Dave Stringer.
Locally there was lots of speculation about United either building a new stadium or extending the Abbey. Lots of local people were fearful of the extra volume of away fans attending the Abbey but at the same time were against any redevelopment. So it was a bit of a catch 22 situation. The Cambridge Evening News took time off from reporting complaints about the Kite area ( now the Grafton Shopping Centre) redevelopment , Robinson College being built and the Science Park expanding to highlight the problem of “next season’s invading army of fans”. Six years later United were still in the second division and there were still objections to their very exsistance. Andy’s Records on the market and Mill Road, Barney’s on Mill Road and the Rex club on Magrath Avenue are other places I frequented, all long gone now..   1977- Ron Atkinson had taken over from Bill Leivers in 1974 and had taken a year and a half to build a promotion winning team. But when he did, boy, he did it in style. United winning the 4th Division Championship by 3 points and 17 points ahead of 5 th place Swansea City (these were the days of two points for a win and before the play-offs) who the visitors for the last home League match of the season. United had been in 1st position since the turn of the year and, to be honest, I can’t remember the match which actually clinched promotion, but the championship had been clinched the match before Swansea’s visit. A rather dull 0-0 draw at Stockport. My outstanding memories of the Swansea game are United being presented with the trophy and parading it around the Abbey before the match and the aggression shown by the Swansea players and fans who were congregated at the Allotments end (South Stand or, should I say Paul Mullin Stand?). Swansea needed to win to keep any promotion hopes they had alive and they certainly intended to get the win by fair or foul means. By half time Swansea were 3-0 up and appeared to be heading for an easy two points. But early in the second half Swansea’s aggressive tactics saw them reduced to ten men and United started to come into the game and with 30 minutes left a Jim Hall goal and an Alan Biley penalty had reduced the arrears to one. A comeback wasn’t to be though and Swansea hung on for the victory in vain as results elsewhere went against them and the finished 5th. This didn’t help the Welsh club’s fans moods and scuffles that had broken out on the terraces throughout the game became more intense, at one stage police with dogs had to restore order when about 50 fans ran on the pitch. Outstanding players for me were Steve Fallon, Alan Biley and Steve Spriggs. All of whom could be bumped into in the Racehorse pub on Newmarket Road on a Saturday evening after a home match and later in the Still and Sugarloaf under the Victoria cinema on the market square.The Racehorse is now one of those fast food places with a big letter M outside and the Still, as it was affectionally known, is now the basement of M&S. Another outstanding point of that team was that whatever the score at half-time somehow Big Ron would get them going with his team talk and many the time United would go in at half-time one or two goals down but still end up winning by 3 or 4 goals. 
 In the 56 years since I started supporting the U’s I have witnessed nine promotions. This is a snap shot of my memories of those promotion seasons. 1970- Without doubt the most important promotion United have won and the only one gained non-playing as well as playing achievement . Back in the day when Football League status was gained by election by the existing member clubs. United had just finished champions of the Southern League for the second consecutive season and were quite rightly being branded as the best team outside the Football League. This together with a League standard ground, stable finances due to the biggest lottery in the country, a good size fan base and a very active campaign of conversing for votes led to United gaining Football League status and national recognition. For me, a fourteen year old school boy, it was all down to my personnel heroes of the time. The duel strike force of Bill Cassidy and Tony Butcher were often referred to as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. For me they were more like Captain Kirk and Spock from Star Trek the popular Saturday evening viewing on BB1. Taking the U’s to the “Final Frontier” By Nigel Browne Afternoon and welcome back to the field of dreams, or is it common, to the whites from Bolton. My notes are written before the trip to the Lions’ Den so I am still wallowing in the aftermath of the Marmite-bashing. Nice to record our first home league win against them since our return to normal affairs in 2014. Not exactly a wistful trip down Cut Throat Lane this one but 28 August 1982 it is and who was in town? None other than Chelsea. Who could forget their three previous visits, eh? Certainly most of the residents between Coldhams Lane and the station couldn’t! More ‘entertainment’ was to follow in the next two seasons culminating in our last league fixture v the Pensioners in February 1984 when the natives got particularly restless. We met ten times overall in those second division halcyon days; eight defeats, one win and a draw so not a side to be missed. On that bright August bank holiday weekend afternoon a certain Robson ‘popped’ up with the winner to send the visiting hordes home happy, a crowd of 8,124 in attendance that day. The programme was a fairly bog standard affair for the time, flicking through a fairly jolly periodical one thing stood out for me on the mascots page. None other than Nigel Looker, son of our dearly departed Carol whose death passed its first anniversary just on Saturday past. On this day in 1963 200,000 people marched on Washington D.C. in a civil rights movement protest which culminated famously in a certain speech by Martin Luther King, jr. It seems that Abba took a liking to it in a different way sixteen years later! Enjoy the old programme and today’s game! Harry,   Afternoon and welcome to this afternoon’s football fare including our visitors from the beer and Marmite town of Burton. It’s been a while since our last League game against the Brewers, May 2015 in fact, right at the end of our inaugural season back in the EFL. The away side prevailed in each fixture that season, I have good memories of that Friday evening in October at the Pirelli(and stewards from Derby?) and thought we were good value for our 3-1 victory. Elliott and Donaldson, eh? As you know the Conference years are a blur to oneself although a certain Lee McEvilly free kick sticks in the mind and ensured we didn’t tread water at the Pirelli in the playoff semi that balmy evening in May 2008. That guy by the way has a decent roll call of clubs if you care to take a look some time! He’s retired now, I think, but if he’s reading he’ll correct me, I’m sure. From beer to footwear as we slide back in time to the early 70s and our second season in the Football league and the visit of Northampton Town on 21 August 1971. Our third outing against the Cobblers since joining the big boys, the inaugural season had seen us being doubled in a relative shoe-ing, 4-1 on aggregate, the game at the County Ground the previous August being our very first away league fixture in division 4. Anyway the rot stopped that afternoon with a creditable 1-1 draw in front of a good derby crowd of 5,638, our goal coming from the blonde bombshell Chris Foote, just his second of six league goals in a four season spell with us. Not known for his headers, though. Did you know that on this day in 1911 Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre by three Italian handymen! It took two years to recover it and no doubt the episode added to its mystique. It had though been around since 1503, remember. Enjoy the old programme and today’s game! Harry,
Evening, all. Hope you enjoyed the game on Saturday, what an occasion and a fair result in the end, I thought? Welcome to our visitors from the old railway town of Swindon although these days it’s probably better known for Zurich Insurance, Honda cars and Diana Dors! It’s probably about time we did something again in this competition. 1998 and the City Ground does seem a long while ago now. On this day in 2002 we entertained the Quakers from Darlington in the curtain-raiser for our return to League Two action having enjoyed three seasons in the third tier. It also marked the first league encounter played out in front of the new South Stand. I suspect it wasn’t filled with Darlo fans that day, though. Looking at the U’s line up that day I can’t help but think that it wasn’t a bad side. To think that within three years we had fallen off the abyss and in to the Conference. A little taster of things to come perhaps saw us lose 1-2, only our eighth defeat in what was to be 32 league and cup outings against the men formerly from Feethams. Dave Kitson got our solitary goal that day. Finally, for you guitar freaks out there, a certain Leo Fender was born on this day in 1909. He founded the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company and was responsible for such greats as the Telecaster, Stratocaster and Precision Bass. Fender was inducted in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a year after his death in 1991. Enjoy the game. Harry  |
Happy Harry's blogI'm the living embodiment of the spirit of the U's, and I'll be blogging whenever I've got news for you, as long as I don't miss my tea. Archives
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