Cambridge City FC

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THE HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE CITY

That Cambridge City are still a going concern in 2006/07 is something of an achievement for the club and its supporters. During a tumultuous few weeks at the beginning of 2006, the club came within a whisker of volunteering itself out of existence. Money was not the problem - although the club no longer owned its ground having been forced to sell it to pay off debts. City fans were outraged by a proposal from former Directors to allow the club to be taken over by Cambridge United. The plan was to scrap all but the youth set up, with a team playing at Uniteds Abbey Stadium at County League level. The fans campaign led to Directors resignations, the youth academy being detached from the club and Cambridge City retaining its separate status as a Conference South club. In addition, members of the Cambridge City Supporters Trust joined the Board of Directors, so City are now a fans run club.

In less turbulent times for the club, it quickly established itself by winning several amateur titles and cups in the years immediately following its formation in 1908 as Cambridge Town. Town were torch bearers for the principles of amateur football and viewed the professional game with disdain. Ipswich Town became big rivals during the 1930s, with trouble on the pitch often spilling over to the terraces. Both clubs were invited to join the Football League. Ipswich accepted, but the Cambridge Directors declined on account of their amateur principles and the two Towns went their separate ways. Cambridge moved on to the Spartan League, where they won three league titles between 1945-50. When Cambridge was granted City status in 1951, Town and Eastern Counties League neighbours Abbey United both applied to change their name to Cambridge City. Town’s application was first to arrive at the Cambs FA and was accepted, leaving Abbey United to change their name to Cambridge United.

City finally left the amateur game in 1958 to join the Southern League, gaining promotion in their first season and winning the Premier Division in 1962/63 by edging out neighbours United in an enthralling title race. The absence of a pyramid system and automatic promotion put a lid on City’s ambitions. Nevertheless, City remained one of the top non-league clubs during the early to mid 1960s.

But by 1970 City had been relegated and United were in pole position to replace Bradford Park Avenue in the Football League. City were promoted in 1969/70 and finished Southern Premier League runners up in 1970/71, but there was no prospect of the Football League electing a 2nd Cambridge club. Yet in 12 Southern League seasons together, City had finished ahead of United in 8 of them. Although now sharing Cambridge with a league club, City held up well until a second relegation in 1975/76 saw crowds dwindle and the club fall into a decline. Directors attempted in 1977 to return to amateur status but, as in 2006, were to find they could not ignore the views of the supporters. Fierce protests forced out most of the Directors and the club retained its semi-pro status.

The club gradually improved and a new generation of City fans mobbed their heroes after the 1985/86 Southern League South championship was secured on the last day of the season. The goalscoring exploits of Gary Grogan were instrumental in the club’s recovery, according him a ‘City Legend ‘status. The most recent two seasons in Conference South have seen City reach their highest league positions for more than 30 years, whilst in the FA Cup City have reached the 1st round proper 5 times (and the 2nd round proper once) in the last 13 seasons. This is a far better record than achieved by the more illustrious City sides of the 1960s. The club was delighted that the man who did more than anyone to bring its recent success, manager Gary Roberts, decided to stay with City despite the all the uncertainties. The enthusiastic fans of the ‘Shed’ have ensured that Milton Road is one of the noisier grounds in Conference South.

City currently have a lease to stay at the ground they have occupied since 1922 only until end of 2006/07. Great challenges lie ahead to ensure that the club, now entering its 99th season, survives into its centenary year and beyond. For now, it is celebration enough that City still exist in 2006/07 when they might otherwise have been a Cambridge United reserve side. The club will certainly not fail through lack of passion amongst its supporters.

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HISTORY OF THE SUPPORTERS TRUST

The Cambridge City FC Board announced in January 2006 that it had sold the City Ground to pay off debts and that it was their intention to scrap the first team and have City’s reserve side play at Cambridge United’s Abbey Stadium as a feeder team for United. There had been no consultation with supporters or shareholders about such a move.

Concerned supporters formed the Cambridge City Action Group (CCAG) and publicised the club’s plight. Supporters felt that mismanagement and poor decision making by self-appointed people at the club over many years were leading it towards extinction and that they now needed to act (though we really should have done so far sooner).

CCAG progressed towards proposing that a Supporters’ Trust should be set up in order to ensure that City fans could press for meaningful involvement in decision making at the club, with a view to eventually taking over running the club. An open meeting of 200 fans on 23 February voted unanimously to set up a Trust.

Events moved much more quickly than anticipated. The City Directors found a way to stay at Milton Road for one more season with just the Academy and youth set up going to Cambridge United – leaving the question, why did they not proceed in this manner in the first place?

Stung by the vehement criticism they encountered and with the realisation that 95% of City fans were now against them, 3 of the 4 City Directors resigned in mid-April, leaving remaining Director Kevin Satchell to invite five representatives from the Supporters Trust on to the City Board of Directors. They are Terry Dunn, Roget de Ste Croix, Ken Ledran, Andy Harnwell and Steve O Donohue.

By the time of the Supporters’ Trust Official Launch on 18 April 2006, City had become a supporters run club – this less than 8 weeks after it was decided to form a Trust.

We will ensure the CCFC ST and the club’s business are operated in a financially prudent way, balancing development risks with sound financial management – and that all of this is transparent. Arrangements are currently being made to complete the transfer of control of the club, to put in place democratic structures for the Supporters Trust to hold elections of officials and directors, and to revive shareholders’ involvement in the club.

Cambridge City is safe for 2006/07. But the challenge now for the club and the Supporters’ Trust is to secure a future for the club for 2007/08 (the club’s centenary season) and beyond.

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WHATS THE COST OF ENTRY

NATIONWIDE SOUTH GAMES

ADULTS: £10

UNDER 12S : £2

CONCESSIONS: £5 (senior citizens, students with valid card and all juniors between 12-15)

FAMILY TICKET: £17 (2 adults plus 3 children under 12)

CAR PARKING: £1

KICK OFF TIMES

SATURDAY HOME GAMES : 3PM (CHECK FIXTURES FOR CHANGES)

MIDWEEK HOME GAMES : 7:45PM (CHECK FIXTURES FOR CHANGES)

PANDA PENALTIES

AT A RECENT HOME GAME, CCFC SUPPORTERS TOOK ON THE LEYS SCHOOL IN A HALF TIME PENALTY SHOOT OUT. CCFC CAME OUT ON TOP. IT WAS ALSO THE PENALTY TAKING DEBUT OF "LILLEY" THE CITY PANDA MASCOT. CLICK ON THE VIDEO TO SEE MORE