Remembering Fifty & Thirty Years Ago This Week - Christmas 1969 & 1989

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.

!969/70 On the build up to Christmas manager Bill Leivers took the opportunity to tighten the club’s disciplinary rules. Players were forbidden to take outside jobs and banned from drinking alcohol 48 hours before a match without permission of the manager or club director.

For the Southern League match on 20th December at home against Dover Athletic Leivers brought John McKinven in on the left wing and moved George Harris to inside left. The move proved successful, McKinven was the star of the show scoring twice and making the other goal for Harris in a 3-1 win against strong opponents who had been sitting forth in the league before kick-off. The festive period brought back to back matches against King’s Lynn, at the Abbey on Boxing Day the Linnets took the lead in the 13th minute but goals from Bill Cassidy in the 23rd and Harris on 34 minutes saw the U’s go in 2-1 up. United continued to look comfortable, but without adding to the score, until the 93rd minute when Coughlin equalised for King’s Lynn. So it was a quick turn round and everybody travelled up to King’s Lynn the next day for the return fixture. This time it was Harris who stole the show, scoring a Hat-Trick in a 3-2 win, despite King’s Lynn have taken the lead in the very first minute.

Peter Leggett who had been a regular in the first team both last season and this but was finding it hard to establish himself now was loaned out on a month’s trial to Lincoln City.

Christmas 1969 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, with Susan Hampshire and Kenny Ball and his Jazz Men as guests, was the most watched TV programme on Christmas Day. Ker Plunk was the top selling children’s toy selling at £2.04, today’s price would be £32.

Christmas 1969 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, with Susan Hampshire and Kenny Ball and his Jazz Men as guests, was the most watched TV programme on Christmas Day. Ker Plunk was the top selling children’s toy selling at £2.04, today’s price would be £32.

1989/90 On Boxing Day 1989 United, who were in 12th place travelled to 5th placed Lincoln City for a Football League Division 4 match. The match proved to be a nightmare for Colin Bailie who turned the ball into his own net to give the Imps a second minute lead. Phil Chapple put the U’s level on 33 minutes and Alan Kimble gave them the lead early in the second half from a penalty. But Bailie gave away a penalty two minutes later which brought the scores level again. Lincoln’s Matt Carmichael contrived to volley a stunning own goal to give the U’s the lead again in the 60th minute. But after being ahead with only 4 minutes of normal time remaining United managed to throw the points away when Carmichael made amends for his own goal in the 86th minute and Paul Smith scored the winner in time added on.

Christmas 1989 The Batman Batmobile which retailed at £9.94 was the top selling toy. Noel Edmunds Christmas Present Party and Only Fools and Horses were the most watched TV shows. The Christmas No.1 was Saviours Day by Cliff Richard.

Football at Christmas 1989 Arsenal, Leeds United, Notts County and Exeter City were the leaders of the four divisions. Leyton Orient were in 16th place in the old 3rd division, on their way to finishing in mid table, with former Cambridge United forward Mark Cooper their leading scorer.