Cambridge United FC
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thanatos80 - ECS Member 2020
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by ericgi » Sun May 18, 2008 11:02:17 pm
Missed the last 10 minutes :(
The goal was some sloppy marking at the far post... bunch of defenders got caught ball watching and none bothered to track... should have been dealt with.
First half Exeter had way too much time on the ball. Bit better afterwards, but just wasn't the U's day.
Good showing from the Amber Army though! Just need to win the automatic promotion next season and not leave it to chance...
The goal was some sloppy marking at the far post... bunch of defenders got caught ball watching and none bothered to track... should have been dealt with.
First half Exeter had way too much time on the ball. Bit better afterwards, but just wasn't the U's day.
Good showing from the Amber Army though! Just need to win the automatic promotion next season and not leave it to chance...
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ericgi - ECS Founder
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by Tom_CUFC » Mon May 19, 2008 5:05:29 am
Vieria is crap, he can't score, and he's a cheat, thankfully he's only on loan.
Such a let down, we just didn't show up, in the same way Exeter did in the final last year when they lost. The tactics were wrong, the selection was wrong, and I knew once they scored that was it for us.
The atmosphere was dire for 2 reasons. First, you can't make noise in a stadium which is 2/3rds full, and then is made up of 70% daytrippers/part timers. It's a horrible place to have the final, and it'd be better if they'd kept it at somewhere like Stoke/Leicester, where the ground is full, and all the proper fans can go and make some decent noise.
Pre-match was brilliant, all us proper fans met up at the Globe pub on Baker Street, and we rammed the place, and created one heck of a noise, all the tourists buses, cars, normal buses etc that went past look stunned, as did the police.
The view down Wembley Way of Amber and Black was brilliant, and that's about as far as the excitement got. Rubbish game, rubbish atmosphere, total let down, all these trips to shitholes like Droylsden, Farsley, Crawley etc coming to nothing (it's worth noting, I missed 2 games all season, and I live 100 miles from Cambridge, so it's cost me even more and taken up more of my time than most). I won't renew my season ticket, I'm heading to Uni up north and I won't have the money or effort for 46 more Conference games, what's more annoying is League Two is predominantely northern based teams, whereas the Conference is mainly southern based. However, I know I'll end up doing more than I should.
Hopefully we'll keep the core of the team, get a goalscorer and a decent right winger, and sign up our two other loan signings (Carden and McEvilly), and we can make a push for the title next year. But after poor years for teams like York and Oxford, a strong team in Kettering coming up, as well as two decent sides coming down from League Two, it'll be hard, but none of us want to go through this heartbreak again.
I hope I'm still welcome on here, I've taken a genuine interest in the Sounders, and you're a fantastic bunch of fans.
Here's some images from the day;
United fans at the Globe
Wembley Way
Screen
Me
Yellow pages entrance (not my photo)
National Anthem
End of the game
Cambridge United vs Exeter City
Such a let down, we just didn't show up, in the same way Exeter did in the final last year when they lost. The tactics were wrong, the selection was wrong, and I knew once they scored that was it for us.
The atmosphere was dire for 2 reasons. First, you can't make noise in a stadium which is 2/3rds full, and then is made up of 70% daytrippers/part timers. It's a horrible place to have the final, and it'd be better if they'd kept it at somewhere like Stoke/Leicester, where the ground is full, and all the proper fans can go and make some decent noise.
Pre-match was brilliant, all us proper fans met up at the Globe pub on Baker Street, and we rammed the place, and created one heck of a noise, all the tourists buses, cars, normal buses etc that went past look stunned, as did the police.
The view down Wembley Way of Amber and Black was brilliant, and that's about as far as the excitement got. Rubbish game, rubbish atmosphere, total let down, all these trips to shitholes like Droylsden, Farsley, Crawley etc coming to nothing (it's worth noting, I missed 2 games all season, and I live 100 miles from Cambridge, so it's cost me even more and taken up more of my time than most). I won't renew my season ticket, I'm heading to Uni up north and I won't have the money or effort for 46 more Conference games, what's more annoying is League Two is predominantely northern based teams, whereas the Conference is mainly southern based. However, I know I'll end up doing more than I should.
Hopefully we'll keep the core of the team, get a goalscorer and a decent right winger, and sign up our two other loan signings (Carden and McEvilly), and we can make a push for the title next year. But after poor years for teams like York and Oxford, a strong team in Kettering coming up, as well as two decent sides coming down from League Two, it'll be hard, but none of us want to go through this heartbreak again.
I hope I'm still welcome on here, I've taken a genuine interest in the Sounders, and you're a fantastic bunch of fans.
Here's some images from the day;
United fans at the Globe
Wembley Way
Screen
Me
Yellow pages entrance (not my photo)
National Anthem
End of the game
Cambridge United vs Exeter City
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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by ericgi » Mon May 19, 2008 7:58:11 am
Nice photos... I hope the streets surrounding Qwest Field look like that before MLS games next season! Police looking stunned is rather a good thing!
I hear ya about the stadium being too big, but I'd reckon the final being there is sort of the "Wembley mystique" and the romanticism of it all. We don't really have the same situation here given we really don't have a "national stadium" here... even if we did have promotion/relegation. Finals here at neutral grounds (MLS Cup) tend to have poor atmosphere too but more the reason because only a few hundred+ of each teams supporters are able to travel the vast distances to the hosting city and the neutrals usually aren't bothered to make much noise.
I wonder too if perhaps a two-legged final at each team's home ground might not be better for the atmosphere... prolly never happen though given the money that can be made with 40K+ ppl at Wembley or similiar stadium.
Speaking of which, what's the new Wembley like?
P.S. Of course you're always welcome here
I hear ya about the stadium being too big, but I'd reckon the final being there is sort of the "Wembley mystique" and the romanticism of it all. We don't really have the same situation here given we really don't have a "national stadium" here... even if we did have promotion/relegation. Finals here at neutral grounds (MLS Cup) tend to have poor atmosphere too but more the reason because only a few hundred+ of each teams supporters are able to travel the vast distances to the hosting city and the neutrals usually aren't bothered to make much noise.
I wonder too if perhaps a two-legged final at each team's home ground might not be better for the atmosphere... prolly never happen though given the money that can be made with 40K+ ppl at Wembley or similiar stadium.
Speaking of which, what's the new Wembley like?
P.S. Of course you're always welcome here
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ericgi - ECS Founder
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by Tom_CUFC » Mon May 19, 2008 8:19:22 am
2 legged finals will never happen, although I wouldn't oppose to it at all.
I understand the romantic side, the big day out and stuff, and the gate receipts will probably allow us to get through the summer without financial problems as we invsted a lot this season, but I didn't enjoy the game yesterday, even if we'd won, I'd have enjoyed the feeling of winning, but the atmosphere was just so so bad, we tried and tried but it just didn't happen. I hate all these bowl type stadia we're getting over here being built on the cheap, but it'd be so much better at one of them, ensuring that one-timers are kept to a minimum (who really wants to go to Leicester/Southampton/Derby for a day out!), whilst keeping the gate at about 35k, will be a win-win for everyone really. Even holding it Arsenal would allow for easy segregation, easy access being in London, allow pretty much everyone to go, and probably ensure for a better atmosphere.
It's worth noting as well, yesterday there was 42,500 there, 40,000 the year before. Exeter played there last year too, and took 30,000, but only took 19,000 yesterday. In the next few years the crowd is going to drop as more people have done Wembley and won't go, and it'll reach the stage where the final is dropping below 30,000, and Wembley will be far too big then.
As for Wembley, that's the third time I've done it, I've been in all 3 tiers, and I'm not that impressed really. Outside the ground is a hole, there's nothing to do there, the walkways in the stadium are dull and bland, and whilst you initially think "wow" when you first walk out into the seats just due to the sheer size of it, after a while it just doesn't appeal to me at all. People say "all the seats give an amazing view" but I don't agree, I was about halfway up the lower tier and the view wasn't great, I couldn't see the far end. The middle tier is good, but that doesn't normally go to general sale as it's corporate (I got in there for the NFL), and the upper tier view is good from the lower half, but you're just too far up at the top.
In all fairness though, they couldn't have done much more with the design, considering they've got to make it big, and easy to segregate. Hopefully in the coming years they'll do up the outside of the ground as well.
It's a rip off too, about $8 for a burger/hot dog, and a similar price for the one beer they have.
On the MLS Cup thing, do they decide the venue for the final at the start of the season, or do they wait until they know who's playing so they can decide where's best to hold it (i.e. if New York and New England got to the final, they'd know not to play it in LA).
I understand the romantic side, the big day out and stuff, and the gate receipts will probably allow us to get through the summer without financial problems as we invsted a lot this season, but I didn't enjoy the game yesterday, even if we'd won, I'd have enjoyed the feeling of winning, but the atmosphere was just so so bad, we tried and tried but it just didn't happen. I hate all these bowl type stadia we're getting over here being built on the cheap, but it'd be so much better at one of them, ensuring that one-timers are kept to a minimum (who really wants to go to Leicester/Southampton/Derby for a day out!), whilst keeping the gate at about 35k, will be a win-win for everyone really. Even holding it Arsenal would allow for easy segregation, easy access being in London, allow pretty much everyone to go, and probably ensure for a better atmosphere.
It's worth noting as well, yesterday there was 42,500 there, 40,000 the year before. Exeter played there last year too, and took 30,000, but only took 19,000 yesterday. In the next few years the crowd is going to drop as more people have done Wembley and won't go, and it'll reach the stage where the final is dropping below 30,000, and Wembley will be far too big then.
As for Wembley, that's the third time I've done it, I've been in all 3 tiers, and I'm not that impressed really. Outside the ground is a hole, there's nothing to do there, the walkways in the stadium are dull and bland, and whilst you initially think "wow" when you first walk out into the seats just due to the sheer size of it, after a while it just doesn't appeal to me at all. People say "all the seats give an amazing view" but I don't agree, I was about halfway up the lower tier and the view wasn't great, I couldn't see the far end. The middle tier is good, but that doesn't normally go to general sale as it's corporate (I got in there for the NFL), and the upper tier view is good from the lower half, but you're just too far up at the top.
In all fairness though, they couldn't have done much more with the design, considering they've got to make it big, and easy to segregate. Hopefully in the coming years they'll do up the outside of the ground as well.
It's a rip off too, about $8 for a burger/hot dog, and a similar price for the one beer they have.
On the MLS Cup thing, do they decide the venue for the final at the start of the season, or do they wait until they know who's playing so they can decide where's best to hold it (i.e. if New York and New England got to the final, they'd know not to play it in LA).
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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by ericgi » Mon May 19, 2008 9:36:39 am
The MLS Cup final location is determined before the season starts... oftentimes two or three years in advance. Given that the season now runs much later than it used to (late November for the final), often it will be held in a warm weather location such as LA or Dallas as the weather can be especially nasty that time of year in the northeast.
Unfortunately, only the very hardcore supporters will turn out if the conditions are rotten, hence the locations... although the better supported teams tend to be those from the north and east ironically.
Only once has a club made it to the final in its own stadium... New England about four or five years ago v. LA Galaxy... and lost in extra time.
Unfortunately, only the very hardcore supporters will turn out if the conditions are rotten, hence the locations... although the better supported teams tend to be those from the north and east ironically.
Only once has a club made it to the final in its own stadium... New England about four or five years ago v. LA Galaxy... and lost in extra time.
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ericgi - ECS Founder
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by Tom_CUFC » Mon May 19, 2008 9:50:38 am
I understand the warm weather thing, but surely it'd make far more sense all round to wait until at least the semi finals to decide where to hold it. It gets argued about over here, so it must make sense for a country the size of the USA.
Bigger crowds = more money, more fans, better TV viewing, and more for the players to get worked up about.
Bigger crowds = more money, more fans, better TV viewing, and more for the players to get worked up about.
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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by Lamil » Mon May 19, 2008 12:48:50 pm
Yea its going to hurt us for travel times come MLS time which sucks. Couple hour drive Im all over but freaking traveling to New England or Chicago going to be rough.
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Lamil - Past ECS Member
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by tallguy » Mon May 19, 2008 1:07:26 pm
or even san jose, which is our nearest MLS opponent, is a full day's drive! if ever we could use "soccer specials" on Amtrak here in the states, now would be the time.
sorry to hear about cambridge, tom. i'll be pulling for you guys next season.
sorry to hear about cambridge, tom. i'll be pulling for you guys next season.
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tallguy - Past ECS Member
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by Tom_CUFC » Mon May 19, 2008 2:22:30 pm
One more thing for yesterday, before we put this bed once and for all, team diary from the weekend;
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5edntpMEmw[/youtube]
BSP 2008/2009
Altrincham
Barrow
Burton Albion
Cambridge United
Crawley Town
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United
Forest Green Rovers
Grays Athletic
Histon
Kettering Town
Kidderminster Harriers
Lewes
Mansfield Town
Northwich Victoria
Oxford United
Rushden & Diamonds
Salisbury City
Stevenage Borough
Torquay United
Weymouth
Woking
Wrexham
York City
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5edntpMEmw[/youtube]
BSP 2008/2009
Altrincham
Barrow
Burton Albion
Cambridge United
Crawley Town
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United
Forest Green Rovers
Grays Athletic
Histon
Kettering Town
Kidderminster Harriers
Lewes
Mansfield Town
Northwich Victoria
Oxford United
Rushden & Diamonds
Salisbury City
Stevenage Borough
Torquay United
Weymouth
Woking
Wrexham
York City
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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by Tom_CUFC » Fri May 30, 2008 8:35:40 am
Just an update from our side, things aren't looking too great for us currently. We've lost Paul Carden to Wrexham, released our winger Courtney Pitt and experienced centre-half Mark Peters, yesterday sold our most solid centre-half Mark Albrighton to Stevenage for very little money, and have trasfer listed top scorer Lee Boylan. We've been reassured that things are OK behind the scenes, but there'd been rumours one of the playoff teams would be in financial trouble if they didn't go up, and it could well be us, some of us are sceptical to say the least. The next couple of weeks will tell us a lot about where the club is going.
Pre-season we've got the away game at Peterborough that I've mentioned before, a home game against Coventry City, as well as two home games against Premier League opposition in Everton and West Ham United. The schedule for the new season is due to be out on the last Thursday of June, but the Conference is run by morons, we didn't get our fixtures till 3 weeks before the start of the season last time, so it could be a while.
Also, a thread on our forum came up about your new jersey for the MLS season, so I advertised you guys a bit, could be a couple more intrigued visitors coming...
Pre-season we've got the away game at Peterborough that I've mentioned before, a home game against Coventry City, as well as two home games against Premier League opposition in Everton and West Ham United. The schedule for the new season is due to be out on the last Thursday of June, but the Conference is run by morons, we didn't get our fixtures till 3 weeks before the start of the season last time, so it could be a while.
Also, a thread on our forum came up about your new jersey for the MLS season, so I advertised you guys a bit, could be a couple more intrigued visitors coming...
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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by Tom_CUFC » Tue Jun 3, 2008 7:43:58 am
Here we go guys, a few of our young talents have gone over to Seattle for the month to take in the city and train with the Sounders, short article can be found here http://www.cambridge-united.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10423~1322853,00.html
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Tom_CUFC - Past ECS Member
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