The last time The Imps hosted today’s opponents Cambridge United was on Saturday 15th January 2022, in front of a crowd of 8,507, including 681 visiting supporters. The U’s won 1-0 that day thanks to a goal scored by Joe Ironside (90+1′).
Ahead of today’s match, we have done a Q&A with two Cambridge United supporters, so thank you to Tom and Sean for answering our questions! The answers have been published on two pages. To get to the second set of answers, press “Next” at the bottom right of the page, or click HERE!
You can discuss what has been said in this article HERE, as well as get involved with our Lincoln City v Cambridge United Match Thread!
We have also published a quiz about the last time the two sides met at Sincil Bank, which can be found HERE, or at the bottom of the page!
First up, the answers provided by Tom:
How long have you supported Cambridge United?
Since 1995.
Where did you finish last season?
14th? Satisfactorily mid-table.
What do you think of your Manager?
Bonner has been the manager everyone dreams of, supports your team, stood on the terraces, worked his way up from the bottom, then gave us a completely out-of-the-blue promotion after years of mediocrity, a great season in League One including a win at Newcastle in the FA Cup. I just worry now that the shine is starting to wear off and I fear it’s heading towards an acrimonious exit that no one really wants to happen in that way, as we all thought he would just move on to bigger and better things at some point. It’s still possible but beginning to look less likely.
What were/are your hopes and expectations for this season?
We had a great year last year and were safe with weeks to go. We kept the vast majority of last year’s team together, but with our finances and infrastructure though it was never realistic to expect us to push on, until we can redevelop the Abbey expecting to be comfortable in this league year in year out is a pipe dream. Having said that though, we finished last season so well, and started this season so well, that where we are now is a little surprising, even if our budget reflects it. We have had a lot of injuries in largely the same positions, but the downturn had started before that happened. We were definitely short a midfielder from the summer and most fans realised that, but our 3 other signings have either been injured or flattered to decrive, which hasn’t helped.
Obviously now the goal is just to stay up, but even if we do you’d expect we’d be in this position again next year, especially as most of the squad are out of contract.
One(s) to watch?
Given our form since we beat you at the start of September, there’s not too many to fear. Sam Smith finished last season scoring for fun and could have had a move in the summer, he is our most likely goalscorer. Michael Morrison at centre-back signed this week 15 years after leaving having come through our academy and having had a very solid career in the Championship. The other one is Conor McGrandles who we signed this week who you know much more about than we do!
Who do you think will finish in the top seven in League One?
Sheffield Wednesday are by far the best team we’ve played this season and I expect them to win the league. I still fancy Ipswich for 2nd but no doubt Plymouth look stronger than them at the moment. Derby, Bolton and Barnsley fill out the playoffs. Don’t care about 7th as long as it’s the highest spot that Peterborough finish in.
Who do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?
Despite manager change and signings this week I see FGR being comfortably bottom. Burton losing Adeboyejo is huge, and I think they go too. I’d probably then say us and Accrington, but I’m not convinced about Morecambe, MK or Cheltenham and I think it will be wide open going into the last couple of weeks. We have Accrington away and FGR in our last two games, which could be interesting…
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
Lincoln have been a good model for a team like us to follow given your performance over the last few years, aside from the continued employment of Jez George which should be cause for concern. Having said that I think the fact you’ve struggled a bit the last season and a half is just another case of “gone as far as you can with the resources you have available”, and whilst I don’t think you’ll be in the mix too much this year for relegation it feels like you’ve maxed out now and that staying up every year will probably be the best you can expect. You were awful at our place in September, but you were incredible at ours the season before and we then beat you at Sincil Bank, so maybe roles reversed this year.
What do you think the score will be?
We sound very similar in that our midfielders are poor and we don’t score many. Our defence has taken a turn for the worst in the last month and despite two experienced signings there, I struggle to see us keeping a clean sheet. 1-0 Lincoln, I’d gladly accept another Sincil Bank draw that you seem so keen on this season.
Random fact about your Club?
I think the last time I did this I said we had the tallest freestanding floodlights at a football ground in the country, which is still true, so I’ll say that we played the first-ever professional game on a Sunday in 1974 against Oldham in the FA Cup, because of Sunday trading rules we couldn’t charge admission so had to get people to buy programmes to get in.
If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?
Genuinely don’t know much about your team, we were linked to Teddy Bishop before you signed him, so him I guess.
What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Cambridge United Supporter?
Winning at Newcastle in front of 52k last season was a very proud moment, but finally getting the Abbey back in our own hands last year after it was wrongfully taken from us 20 years ago has to be top. Embarrassing is losing 5-0 at Histon (4 miles from us) in the FA Trophy when they were still a division below us.
Who would you say is your most underrated player?
I don’t think anyone really is, James Brophy gets a lot of stick because he’s a winger who doesn’t always drive past the full-back, so probably him. Not underrated but more under the radar, we have an incredible crop of youth players coming through who just knocked Chelsea out of the FA Youth Cup this week.
Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?
Yes, but they are very intertwined with the club these days and not very independent and a bit of an “old boys club”. There’s another supporters group too on the board who formed a few years ago but they’re not very effective either from what I can tell, but I’ve always been of the mindset that these roles need to be more confrontational than they ever are to be effective, especially when the going is good like it has been for us recently. Our new CEO is generally open to conversation though regardless of supporter group affiliation, which is a plus, and as part of the ground buyback there’s now a fan golden share to prevent any future sale without fan approval.
Which was your favourite match involving Cambridge United?
Still the Conference playoff final win over Gateshead for me because of the importance and what had led up to it in the previous decade, but the Newcastle win last season is a close second now.
Which was your least favourite match involving Cambridge United?
The aforementioned 5-0 defeat at Histon.
Do you have a Former Players Association at Cambridge United?
We have a hall of fame for former players that was established a few years ago, and there’s an artwork of a fan-voted all-time XI on the back of the Newmarket Road End at the Abbey.
Who Are Ya? – @CambridgeUtdFC (Q&As):
The first set of answers:https://t.co/5WIQQRWliv#ImpsAsOne #WeAreImps #CamUTD
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) January 28, 2023
