U's v Spireities

[Habbinalan]

I had a different life when the clubs last met, in an April 2002 league match, and certainly don't remember the 1990 play-off success. In fact my only memory of a game against Chesterfield was the first half of a memorable Easter 1967 double that was played at Holker Street in front of 7,905 mainly home fans.

It may have been normal but possibly because of our 3rd round FA Cup exploits with Southampton (beaten in the replay) Barrow had 3 matches to play over the Easter weekend 24, 25 and 27 March - winning all of them. The win at Barnsley was sandwiched between 2-1 wins home and away against a Spireites team on Good Friday and Easter Monday - with such memorable names as Brian Arblaster and Ivan Hollett (who later rocked up the Abbey).

This promises to be a much flatter occasion, although Chesterfield's win at Crawley, following on from their appointment of hero Jack Lester as manager, seems to have put a spring in their step and we shouldn't expect a bottom of the table performance.

I expect little change from the 442 diamond line up that soared then stuttered on Tuesday. We still seem to need at least 10 chances to get the ball in the net but perhaps it will finally click for Jevani Brown this time. I'm predicting/hoping for a 3-1 win but fearing a 0-1 battling disappointment in front of a subdued and modest home crowd. It'll be good to see the South Stand full of proper supporters for a proper team - the numbers should be well up on those that would have travelled pre-Lester and pre-Crawley.

Forde
Halliday, Legge, Taylor, Carroll
Mingoia, Deegan, Brown, Maris
Ibehre, Ikpeazu

Subs: Mitov, Taft, O'Neil, Dunk, Elito, Foy, Howkins

 

[CFC91]

Looking forward to this. My first visit to Cambridge, although I do remember us playing them at home in 2001 maybe I didn't go to the away fixture. Got a minibus of mates heading down early, which shows the optimism or at least willingness to back Jack Lester amongst the fans, as most of us have barely been the last couple of years.

Any decent watering hole reccomendations in the city centre? Think we will arrive around 11am so head for the city centre.

As for the game i'd take a point right now. Jack has such a task on his hand but Tuesday was a promising start I guess.. Think we may get beat though.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Anywhere that's not the Regal (Wetherspoons) basically, absolutely spoilt for choice. Eagle is the pick of the bunch in the city centre for me but you can't really go wrong. Between the city and the ground you've got the Tram Depot which is a decent halfway spot, and then the Wrestlers is the closest to the ground and is a great little boozer that does awesome Thai food, gets busy though. Parking is an absolute bastard everywhere but more so in the centre, so depends where you end up.

Needs to be another 3 points tomorrow, and then we'll have had a pretty good return out of the last week. XI that started Tuesday still isn't my preferred choice but it was effective for 65 minutes so hard to argue against keeping it as it is.

1-0.

 

[Arbury]

Draw for me.

Plenty of watering holes to choose from, king st has a few although parking for the bus maybe difficult, either that or just head for the multi storeys and work your way up to the ground.


KTF

 

[CFC91]

Cheers lads.

 

[Laker]

As Arbury says, you could do worse than starting in King Street as there's a number along there. Or try Mill Road area and work up. Both are similar distance to the ground.

I have man flu so won't be going. If we win I'll forgive Derry's negativity v Lincoln last weekend. If we don't, I want him sacked.

No I don't feel guilty about my bi-polarism.

 

[Habbinalan]

Looking forward to this. My first visit to Cambridge, although I do remember us playing them at home in 2001 maybe I didn't go to the away fixture. Got a minibus of mates heading down early, which shows the optimism or at least willingness to back Jack Lester amongst the fans, as most of us have barely been the last couple of years.

Any decent watering hole reccomendations in the city centre? Think we will arrive around 11am so head for the city centre.

As for the game i'd take a point right now. Jack has such a task on his hand but Tuesday was a promising start I guess.. Think we may get beat though.

I'd certainly suggest you avoid the Eagle - London prices and they don't keep/serve the beer very well and the food is not the greatest but costs the earth. Essentially it's a tourist trap these days. I'd avoid the centre altogether unless you feel the need to see it. Parking and traffic will be your major issue wherever you go.

If you want to get away fairly soon after the match, provided you're arriving early, you could consider parking the bus on the streets near the ground - perhaps Stanley Rd or Garlic Row but you might even consider the Newmarket Road Park & Ride for the designated driver after he's dropped you off nearer town. He could then get the bus in. Otherwise the Grafton Centre may be your best (but expensive and slow away) option.

I'd support King Street or Mill Road as your starting point for a few beers. The Tram Depot should also meet your needs.

 

[huddsmoose]

Park near the train station and do the pub crawl into the ground. The Devonshire, Kingston Arms, Cambridge Blue, Dobblers, Wrestlers, Supporters club to finish (if welcoming away fans tmrw).

Takes a fair while to walk in one go but you're never more than 5 minutes walk from a decent boozer. As suggested, Wrestlers is the pick for Thai food but the Alexandra Arms also does decent burgers if you want no nonsense grub in a less crowded space.

I am far more excited thinking about the pub options than the on field action. That said, I'm bringing my daughter to her first ever United game so I'm determined to be positive and try to remember how it was when I first started attending the glorious Abbey (first three matches - win vs Middlesbrough, Draw with West Ham and win vs Reading).

So.. selfies with Marvin the Moose, less beer than is usually sensible pre-match and a commemorative programme. Oh and a narrow win too.

 

[DN14 Spire]

My only trip to Cambridge is incredibly hazy due to getting absolutely trollied. Must have been circa early 2000s...maybe towards the end of Rushburys tenure...we stopped over for the weekend, I seem to remember, in a hotel near the station that was done out like a ship inside for some reason.

Remember walking through some allotments to get in the away end, and drinking in the social club after the game, but those are the sum total of my memories of that weekend.

Anyhow, i'm confident...I think we'll get at least a draw here.

PS...it's Spireites

 

[Habbinalan]

PS...it's Spireites

.......truth is I haven't worked out how to edit titles

 

[Fandemonium]

What a civilised bunch you Cambridge chaps are.

Good to see none of the 'Phew! Don't go in this or that pub 'cos whilst I don't agree with aggro they're right tasty' style posturing of certain others.

Big game for us in many ways. A result - and by that I mean at least a draw - and we can start to look up rather than down.

On the other hand another defeat might put Tuesday's three points into an entirely different context...

 

[DN14 Spire]

Bugger. Could have done with getting something from that, sounds like the performance wasn’t too bad again.

Well done Cambridge. On to Carlisle.

 

[Laker]

Obviously pleased with the win and wonderful to see Brown being so pivotal to our win. You have to play him, he's hungry.

I didn't go but my dad was there and said the first half was as bad as he's seen. We'll finish mid table and it's so disappointing that our ambition is no higher. Can't wait for next season.

 

[huddsmoose]

Talking of ambition... D Dogg's column in the programme was a reflection on the FA Cup. He implored supporters to get behind the team in the next round, as many people will see us as the underdogs...

AT HOME TO BLOODY SUTTON!

On the same day we have Derry bigging up Chesterfield as "they were playing league 1 6 months ago" and failing to mention they're utter bobbins now.

The whole club has this air that we don't mind not winning as we're so happy taking part and I think this, allied with the limited entertainment, is pushing fans away.

 

[Arbury]

Couldn’t agree more hudds, instead of pumping our chests and having a good crack at it we seem to roll over and have our bellies tickled time and time again, almost like we’re lucky enough to be where we are, let’s not even get into berry transfer, I still get annoyed about it, we’re just to soft at the minute.

As for the football, I didn’t go yesterday but that’s because I’m bored shitless watching us, the soul and enjoyment has gone for me so will pick and choose when to go rather than being in g block every other week.




KTF

 

[spireite]

6 points from safety now. It's looking more and more difficult...

 

[ambernuts]

I didn’t renew my ST and have stayed away this season, mainly in protest of the club’s vote on B teams and the lack of communication with the fans reps on this matter. But the ambition has been questionable for some time, pretty sure the toilets and hiring new suits have been prioritised over promotion.

Almost went yesterday but couldn’t bring myself to watch Derryball against bottom of the league, almost certain it’d be a defeat. The season before last I was bringing 3-5 irregulars, last season no one was interested. That tells you all you need to know about the progress shown on the pitch.

Glad we won but Derry needs to be following this up with wins against the top sides.

 

[SVH]

It's actually quite entertaining this season lads.

We're not going up but we play a lot more positive at home these days.

5 wins at home already when we managed 6 all last season.

 

[huddsmoose]

It's actually quite entertaining this season lads.

We're not going up but we play a lot more positive at home these days.

5 wins at home already when we managed 6 all last season.

I agree with this, at least we show some ambition this season to score goals.

It's just all so frustrating though. It feels like we're happy to waste a few seasons bobbing around in mid table whilst we congratulate ourselves on being financially sustainable.

Don't get me wrong, the commercial success is impressive and vital, but I feel that we've wasted a promising squad over the last 3 years.

 

[CFC91]

Still disappointed we didn't get anything from the game to be honest. The goals were sloppy again and at 1-0 we ere comfortable until that rather weird first goal changed the balance of the game.

Good day out though, great city!

 

[TommoCUFC]

It's actually quite entertaining this season lads.

We're not going up but we play a lot more positive at home these days.

5 wins at home already when we managed 6 all last season.

We only managed six wins at home last season?!

 

[SVH]

We only managed six wins at home last season?!

Yes I think so. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it was six all season which is pretty shit.

 

[Habbinalan]

I think we won 9 at home (32 points) and 10 away (34 points). Still pretty shit but others were in a similar boat - teams around us, like Carlisle, Stevenage and Mansfield, had similar issues.

We took 10 points from the last 4 home matches. It was the lack of a striker and our fading away form that closed the season with a whimper.

http://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england4_2017