Accrington Web - 2014 Prediction League; Game 16 v Cambridge United (home)

Accrington Stanley

Cambridge United

2014/5 Prediction League; Game 18 v Cambridge (home)

There actually was a “Cambridge United” ages ago, but it wasn’t this lot; this lot were Abbey United, formed in 1912, who seem to have nicked the name, leaving the “original” Cambridge United (I imagine) to disappear up their own initiative (if they hadn’t already by then ……..). They (“This Lot”) turned pro in 1949, nicked “Cambridge United” as their name in 1951, and played in the Eastern Counties League, and then in the Southern League.

In 1970 they were elected to the Football League; this week’s starter for 10 is, therefore …………… (1) Whose place did they take in the League and (2) who was their manager at the time? Answer – Bradford Park Avenue :o:o (who weren’t re-elected :eek:), and the Manager was ex Man City right back Bill Leivers :D (who I remember well, since I supported the Blues in those days (1958 onwards), when the team sheet always started, “Trautmann, Leivers, Sear ..”. Of that, more later …….. In their debut League 4 season they finished 20th, with 43 points from 46 games; in 71/72 they got 5 more points but finished 10 places higher (Barrow were kicked out that season, replaced by Hereford); in 72/73 they finished 3rd (57 points) – behind Hereford in 2nd and – would you believe it – Southport :D in first ……. the same Southport who just did it unto Dagenham and Redbridge in the FA Cup :p:p:p, and now face Eastleigh at home; no doubt they’re dreaming of a glamour tie in Round 3 ……. Accrington Stanley (away) :D:D

Have we played them before? Well yes, but not in the League ….. We met in 2005/6 in the Conference (see “relegation” below) when we lost 3-1 away but won the return 1-0. Inconclusive, really. :confused:

They did promotion and relegation, and their highest place in the pyramid is the second tier (they were in the mix for the first season of the Premiership, but it didn’t happen for them :rolleyes:); in 1984 they were relegated from Div 2 to Div 3, with a record which included a (then) League record 31 games without a win :rolleyes: (beaten by Derby County, apparently, in 2008), and in 1985 they went down to the basement (not that there’s anything wrong with basements, as long as they don’t flood), losing 33 games in the season. :mad:

2005 they exited through the trapdoor marked “Conference”; in 2007/8 they made the Playoff Final, losing 1-0 to Exeter; in 2008/9 they did it again, losing 2-0 to Torquay; last season, having at one time been even-stevens with Luton, they fell away but still made the Final again, where they beat the plucky North-Easterners from Gateshead 2-1 (goals by MFs Liam Hughes and Ryan Donaldson) and came back up :)

So what else is there to tell you? Famous ex-players include inside forward Wilf Mannion :D (Middlesbrough and England 1936 – 54, Cambridge (where he also managed) 54 – 56), Brendon Batson (PFA), Jimmy Glass (see “Last Minute Goal By Goalkeeper Saves Carlisle From Relegation” :p) – who didn’t actually play for Cambridge, I think; PNE and Fulham striker Gary Brazil; Trevor Benjamin (for whom they got £1.5 million when they sold him to Leicester ;)) and one Mike Ferguson :D (Stanley, Blackburn, Villa, QPR, Rochdale and the LA Aztecs to name but six). Famous ex managers include – apart from TrautmannLeiversSear – Big Ron Atkinson ;) and Roy McFarland.

Luke Berry (who?) went to Barnsley in the summer for £undisclosed; Ashley Chambers (who?) went to Dagenham (and probably regrets it after Tuesday night :o); 7 others left, all for non-League sides (including two to Dartford, currently 19th in the Conference with 20 points from 20 games, and one – James Peters (who?) – who signed for Barton Rovers (not to be confused with Roy of the Rovers) who inhabit – if that’s the word – the Southern League Division One Central. In came the customary shedload; 6’ 4” forward Ryan Bird, who played for 9 years for Burnham, scoring 114 in 297, while moonlighting as an electrician, joined from Pompey; Luke Chadwick (“I never felt I fitted in at Old Trafford” – you’re right, son, you were crap :)), now 33 and still in MF, arrived from Man U via West Ham, Stoke, Norwich and the MK Dons; MF Sam Whittall (21) came in from Wolves, where he never got a game :o; Johnny Hunt (24, MF/Def) signed from Wrexham and was very quickly loaned back, which must be a tad worrying; forward Robbie Simpson (29) – ex Cambridge City, Cambridge Utd, Coventry, Huddersfield and Oldham – joined from Leyton Orient; Yeovil’s 6’ 5” GK Chris Dunn (Cobblers and Coventry as well) arrived; defender Michael Nelson (34) also signed on the dotted, having once done the same at Bury, Hartlepool, Norwich, the Iron, Kilmarnock, Bradford City and Hibs; and – best of all - 26 year-old Matteo Lanzoni (who sounds like an opera singer or an ice-cream salesman :D) – once of Oldham and of Yeovil, and once of Italian 47th Division side Associazione Sportiva Dillettantistica Sambenedettese Calcio :D (“Give us an “A” ……) came to plug the defence; what with remains to be seen …..;)

The loan market has so far provided defender Harry Lennon (19), signed from Charlton in the summer until the New Year but recalled at the end of October, by which time he’d only played twice; Bournemouth’s Jayden Stockley :D (21, striker), who followed his loan spell at ours with visits to Leyton Orient and Torquay; Kwesi (apparently it’s a Ghanaian name meaning “born on Sunday” :p:p) Appiah (24, striker) – once of Ebbsfleet (but weren’t we all? :D) Thurrock and Margate (35 goals in 33) – who came in from Palace; and, this week, Fleetwood MF Matty Blair (25) joined as well. And welcome aboard!

They lie 10th in the League at the moment; P17 W7 D3 L7 F28 A21 for 24 points (we lie 15th with 23); their away form isn’t thrilling (W2 D3 L3), the wins coming at Burton (“Hello Jimmy Floyd!” :)) 3-1 and at Dagenham and Rubbish :o:o (3-2), the losses at Pompey 2-1, Wycombe 1-0 and Bury 2-0; they also lost in the CapitalPunishmentCup 3-1 at Birmingham and the PaintKettle 2-0 at Crawley, although they did beat Fleetwood in the FA Cup (1-0), and now await either Mansfield or Concord Rangers (who?) :confused::confused:…….Oh, and by the way, they also lost the Boat Race by 33 lengths :o:o after one of their crew caught a crab :confused:…..or something like that! Best moments of their season to date were probably the home wins by 5-0 against Carlisle and 5-1 against Oxford……..:D

32 goals scored in all competitions; leading scorers are Sunday Ebbsfleet (see above, 6 goals), MF Ryan Donaldson (see “Won the Playoff Final” above :)) with 5, and striker Tom Elliott (who?) also with 5 ……two more have 3 each, five others have but one to each of their respective names.

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 22nd November (I’m still trying to work out how the hell I get from work to the Exeter game, which kicks off at 7.00pm, apparently! :eek:). They’ve been “solid” (another word for “thick”, commonly :D:D:D) rather than spectacular; likely not going up, and probably not going down; nothing to play for, really ………. Whereas WE are playing for our places against Yeovil :rolleyes:. Aren’t we, Lads? :p And hoping to be spotted by Malky McKay, for now the manager at Wigan ……….. Keep smiling, Malky; makes them wonder what you’ve been up to! :D

Good luck to everyone ………. Keep the Faith! …….. And thanks for playing! :)

:alright::alright::alright: