The gang's all here - CUFPA 2018

CUFPA members line up in the Abbey Stadium centre circle, 22 September 2018. From left: Omer Riza, Derrick Christie, Tom Youngs, Soner Zumrutel, Ray Freeman, Roly Horrey, Peter Phillips, Peter Bowstead, Graham Felton, Terry Eades, John Hiner, Brian Grant (with Roly Horrey's grandson, Louis Brown), Willy Watson, Derek Haylock, Steve Fallon, Wes Maughan, Gerry Baker, Rodney Slack, Brian Greenhalgh, Tony Willson, Tom Higgins, Paul Wanless, Sam Harris, Andy Duncan, Colin Bate. All photos: Ben Phillips & Principal Studios.

Old friendships were renewed and new ones forged when members of Cambridge United Former Players' Association gathered at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday, September 22 to watch the 1-1 draw with Mansfield.

It was the first large gathering of the association, which was launched in 2015 by 100 Years of Coconuts and now has nearly 170 members.

Representatives of teams from the 1950s to the 2000s accepted the invitation of CUFPA chairman Rodney Slack and Graham Daniels, United's director of football, to attend the match.

They came from as far afield as Lancashire (Brian Greenhalgh), Oxfordshire (Paul Wanless), Lincolnshire (Derrick Christie) and Buckinghamshire (Wes Maughan).

​United laid on a pre-match buffet lunch in the Abbey Arms, where 25 ex-U's, named in the top picture caption, met to swap memories over a drink.

After watching visitors Mansfield take a first-half lead, they took to the pitch at half-time to a warm reception from an appreciative Abbey  crowd.

Relieved by George Maris's deserved 88th minute equaliser, they gathered in the Dion Dublin Bar to continue their reminiscences.

It was the first such gathering, but CUFPA and Cambridge United are looking forward to welcoming more members to future ex-player days.

From left, Derek Haylock, Tom Higgins and Tony Willson enjoy a beer and a chat in the Abbey Arms.

Paul Wanless preferred cider.

Brian Grant (left), Derek Haylock and Rodney Slack lead the charge to the centre circle at half-time.

John Hiner, Ray Freeman, Peter Bowstead and Roly Horrey head back to the main stand.