Cambridge away 1992

Just seen a Tweet from @CafcFacts (CAFC Facts & Stats) about the upcoming visit to Cambridge United - our first Saturday visit since February 1992 and it brought back memories.

I went to the game with eight or nine mates, our usual gang. It was a Second Division game at a time when Cambridge United were at an all time high. They had been promoted the season before under John Beck, who was an unorthodox manager who believed in 'percentage football.' Beck was all about doing anything to gain an advantage and a worshipper of long ball football with big gangly forwards Wimbledon on steroids. It was a game I was looking forward to, convinced we would put these upstarts in their place. It was the post-Lennie era and we still had a decent footballing side with Pitcher, Pardew, Webster, Barness, Lee, Leaburn and Nelson. I was sure we would be good enough to hold them upfront and score at the other end.

In front of a 6,563 gate, we were dragged into a Beck-slogfest against his battlers and in traditional Charlton fashion were reduced to their level and failed to show our class. The winning goal came early in the second-half and battle as much as we did, we couldn't get back in the game. Looking back, Cambridge were probably a better side than they were given credit for - Danny O'Shea, Liam Daish and Alan Kimble in defence with Dion Dublin and Steve Claridge upfront. They could certainly grind it out.

Just before full-time we decided we had seen enough and began the long trudge back to the station. As we left we picked up half-a-dozen others and spent the next twenty minutes collectively moaning about how poor we had been and that we couldn't believe we had been reduced to losing to Canbridge United. 

As we got closer to town, we were refused service at the first pub ("no away fans") and then again at a second and a third. Just as we were about to give up all hope, we hit the fourth pub which was relatively quiet and staffed only by a young and inexperienced barmaid. By the time she had managed to pour the first six pints, the landlady made a hurried entrance from upstairs, took one look at us and said "no away fans, you will have to leave." I said we had just been served after three knockbacks and were feeling particularly unwelcome. She agreed we could have our round but would have to leave after that.

There were a few students sitting alone around the bar reading and a few locals at the bar. It was then that Alastair Allen ('Scottish Alastair') spotted the piano and took a seat with his pint. As he lifted the cover, the landlady shouted "that's only for piano players" which we all thought was harsh but probably fair. A second later, Alastair's fingers flew across the keys and we all stood agog as a perfectly played classical piece reverberated around and the room. Suitably chastened, the landlady apologised. 

The students were all smirking and enjoying the spectacle when Alastair launched into a honky-tonk tune and began an improvised song all about our day. He summed it all up brilliantly including how we had been misjudged and poorly treated having suffered all day watching Cambridge's 'anti-football'. When he finished he got a round of applause from everyone and the landlady decided we were welcome to stay 😂. 

What chance of a repeat on 18th March?