The 2008–09 season was the 97th season in the history of Cambridge United, and the club's fourth consecutive season in the Conference National. After finishing as runners-up and losing in the play-off final during the 2007–08 season, the club were optimistic of a return to the Football League either as champions or through the play-offs.
The club appointed little-known manager Gary Brabin to guide them through the season, who joined from Southport with relatively little managerial experience. He replaced the successful Jimmy Quinn who parted company with the club by mutual consent after lengthy talks with chairman Phillip Law.
The club enjoyed a successful season, although they were not close to catching eventual champions Burton Albion for much of the season. However, in the final months some excellent form, together with the departure of Burton's manager Nigel Clough, saw the gap close and Cambridge could have won the title and promotion on the final day of the season had they beaten rather than drawn at home to Altrincham. As it was they finished runners-up for the second successive season and despite a memorable play-off campaign, which included beating Stevenage Borough 3–0 after extra time in the second leg at the Abbey Stadium to overturn a first-leg deficit, Cambridge lost the play-off final to Torquay United.
Background
Cambridge United were founded in 1912 as Abbey United, named after the Abbey district of Cambridge. For many years they played amateur football until their election to the Football League in 1970. The early 1990s was Cambridge's most successful period; managed by John Beck the club won the first ever play-off final at Wembley Stadium and gained promotion from the Fourth Division before reaching two successive FA Cup quarter finals in 1990 and 1991 and winning the Third Division in 1991. The club reached the play-offs in 1992 but failed in their bid to become founder members of the Premier League.Cambridge United Potted History cambridge-united.co.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2007. This was the club's highest final league placing to date and since then it has been in almost constant decline.
The following season the club sacked Beck and were relegated from the First Division. Further relegation followed two seasons later. United returned to Division Two but were relegated in 2002. In 2005, after 35 years in the Football League, Cambridge United were relegated into the Football Conference. This brought with it financial difficulties and the club filed for administration, coming out of it three months later after the intervention of sports minister Richard Caborn, but not before selling their Abbey Stadium home to keep the club afloat and closing the youth system.
The club's first season in the Conference National was one of stabilisation, followed by a close shave with relegation. Under the stewardship of Jimmy Quinn, the club recovered in the previous season to finish in the play-off final. However, after despite losing the 1–0 to Exeter City, the club were hoping to build on this relative success under the new management of Gary Brabin following Quinn's departure.
Team kit The team kit for the season was produced by Vandanel for the second season. The same kit was used as in the previous season, with a white and black away shirt, and amber and black striped home shirt. As for previous seasons, the kit had two different sponsors - local company Global Self Drive at home and Kershaw away.Historical Kits – Cambridge United
A special edition play-off final shirt was also released and worn for that match. Produced by Vandanel, the shirt was all amber with limited black trim and sponsored by Kershaw.
Team
First team squad This table shows the squad as it stood at the end of the season.
Top scorers Includes matched in the Conference National, FA Cup and FA Trophy. Where total goals are equal, the list is sorted in favour of league goals, and then alphabetical order.
PositionNationNameConference NationalFA CupTotal1Scott Rendell132152Lee McEvilly83113Chris Holroyd100104Robbie Willmott6285Mark Beesley404=Danny Crow224=Wayne Hatswell4048Jon Challinor202=Felino Jardim202=Courtney Pitt20211Phil Bolland101=Dan Brown101=Paul Carden101=Mark Convery101=Ben Farrell101=Andy Parkinson101=Lee Phillips101TOTALS60969
Match results Match won Match drawn Match lost Biggest win Biggest loss Top Play-Off Position
Pre-season FriendliesKick OffOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance12 July 2008 King's LynnA2 – 3Beesley, Reedunknown15 July 2008 Cambridge CityA1 – 1Beesley91019 July 2008 EvertonH4 – 2Parkinson (2), Willmott, Beesley4,49523 July 2008 Soham Town RangersA4 – 2Willmott (2), Jardim (2)56926 July 2008 Coventry CityH1 – 3Farrell1,75128 July 2008 Bedford TownA1 – 2Ives30430 July 2008 West Ham UnitedH0 – 0–2,4911 August 2008 Braintree TownACancelled––
League Kick OffOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance9 August 2008Northwich VictoriaA1 – 0Jardim 28'1,4456th12 August 2008Kidderminster HarriersH2 – 1McEvilly 27', 61'3,0084th16 August 2008BarrowH2 – 1McEvilly 28', Hatswell 40'2,6631st23 August 2008Eastbourne BoroughA3 – 0McEvilly 21', Farrell 40', Holroyd 84'2,1051st25 August 2008Kettering TownH0 – 2–3,4892nd30 August 2008WeymouthA2 – 2McEvilly 42', Beesley 45'1,3673rd2 September 2008Ebbsfleet UnitedA1 – 1McEvilly 45' 1,8324th6 September 2008WrexhamH2 – 0Beesley 28', 64'3,0762nd13 September 2008Torquay UnitedH0 – 1–4,0415th20 September 2008Mansfield TownA1 – 1Brown 33'3,1716th23 September 2008Oxford UnitedH1 – 3Jardim 56'4,1708th28 September 2008Grays AthleticH1 – 0McEvilly 90' (pen)2,971 5th4 October 2008York CityA0 – 0–2,6086th7 October 2008LewesH1 – 0Challinor 90'3,1945th11 October 2008WeymouthH1 – 0Challinor 11'3,981 3rd16 October 2008Forest Green RoversA2 – 2Hatswell 34', Crow 66'7893rd1 November 2008Rushden & DiamondsH0 – 0–3,5477th15 November 2008Crawley TownA2 – 2McEvilly 51' (pen), Convery 90'1,5707th18 November 2008York CityH1 – 0Purkiss (OG) 51'2,9144th22 November 2008AltrinchamA0 – 1–1,1235th29 November 2008Ebbsfleet UnitedH1 – 0Rendell 45'2,8074th6 December 2008Torquay UnitedA0 – 0–2,3106th9 December 2008Burton AlbionA1 – 3Rendell 63'1,8046th20 December 2008Salisbury CityH4 – 0Willmott 24', Rendell 51', Holroyd 62', Pitt 63'3,3406th26 December 2008HistonH2 – 2Hatswell 15', Rendell 42'6,4886th28 December 2008Stevenage BoroughH1 – 1Rendell 3'3,3516th17 January 2009WokingH4 – 1Crow 3', 22', Beesley 66', Willmott 83'2,696 5th22 January 2009WrexhamA0 – 2–3,1036th29 January 2009Oxford UnitedH1 – 1Carden 72'3,774 7th1 February 2009Rushden & DiamondsA2 – 1Holroyd 21' (pen), Bolland 88'2,0583rd17 February 2009Kidderminster HarriersA3 – 1Rendell 20' (pen), Holroyd 31', 55'1,3613rd21 February 2009LewesA2 – 0Rendell 83' (pen), Willmott 87'9623rd24 February 2009Grays AthleticA1 – 0Rendell 42'7543rd28 February 2009Crawley TownH1 – 1Pitt 82'3,2313rd2 Match 2009HistonA1 – 1Hatswell 74'2,5793rd7 March 2009Burton AlbionH2 – 0Rendell 55', Willmott 76'4,3772nd10 March 2009Mansfield TownH2 – 1Rendell 49', Reason 90'2,781 2nd14 March 2009Northwich VictoriaH4 – 1Holroyd 25', Rendell 30', 37', Parkinson 80'2,662 2nd17 March 2009BarrowA2 – 0Holroyd 63', 83'1,341 2nd30 March 2009WokingA1 – 0Reason 83'1,775 2nd4 April 2009Forest Green RoversH0 – 1–3,2452nd7 April 2009Stevenage BoroughA1 – 2Willmott 17' 3,4083rd11 April 2009Eastbourne BoroughH2 – 1Phillips 65', Holroyd 71' (pen)3,391 2nd11 April 2009Kettering TownA2 – 1Holroyd 14' (pen), Willmott 74'2,340 2nd11 April 2009Salisbury CityA2 – 1Rendell 19', Parkinson 45'1,031 2nd11 April 2009AltrinchamH0 – 0–7,090 2nd
Play-offs
FA Cup
FA Trophy
Conference League Cup
League table
Awards Awarded on 2 June 2009.
AwardNameNo.Pos.Internet Player of the Year Wayne Hatswell10DFInternet Young Player of the Year Chris Holroyd4FWGoal of the Season Paul Carden (vs Oxford United)15MF
References
See also History of Cambridge United F.C. 2008–09 in English football 2008–09 Football Conference