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Away Days 24/25: Don’t Call Me Mad There’s A Difference, I’m Angry - P*sh.

 

The Cambridgeshire Derby games are first fixtures I look out for on fixture release day. I love nothing more than beating our arch enemies. Nicknamed the Posh, for reasons only they must understand, they’ve been a thorn in our side for decades. Despite being wanted by neither Cambridgeshire or Northamptonshire, they have seen some success in recently years. Their major claim to fame is getting promoted and then failing to stay in the Championship. Cambridge, of course, managed to stay in the Championship for many years, and got close to being a founding member of the Premier League. 

Fast forward to 2005 and Cambridge are penniless and trying to survive in the non league. I remember the dark days of non league well. I longed to watch a Cambridgeshire derby and in the 2022/23 season I got my wish. We don’t need to talk about the game at London Road, but the return leg at The Abbey is one of my all time favourite games! A deserved 2-0 win for The U’s! Last season, while I was in Spain, Cambridge were humiliated 5-0 at London Road. Surely we were due a win there, it’s been 34 years! Longer than I’ve been alive! Going into the first meeting of 2024/25, Cambridge are on a five game winning run in all competitions, collecting five clean sheets along the way. The Posh went into the game in mixed form, they’ve not kept a clean sheet all season. Let battle commence. 

We arrived in Boro around 13:15 and grabbed a drink. 

When I asked what was ‘Posh’ about that non brewery, the people didn’t seem to know. The only beer was Carling, in a plastic bottle. As if I needed more reasons to hate this place. Facilities here are truly bad, for example the toilets look like they’ve been stolen from a rough around the edges seaside town. My expression sums this place up. 

At this point, the two sets of fans clashed for the first time. A group of Boro fans were marched past the away end, chanting something I couldn’t understand. 
Then the Cambridge team got off the bus to a loud welcome! Weirdly Gary Monk signed something for a Posh fan… 

Inside the ground it was pie o’clock. 

Being a Pukka pie, it was tasty! 

The atmosphere was there, even before the teams came out to warm up. Around 1200 of the amber nation made the 42 mile trip. Being remembrance weekend, a period of silence was attempted prior to kick off. I say attempted, because a number of posh fans decided to chant through it. This was met with considerable discontent from not only Cambridge fans, but also other posh fans. 

The game kick off and for twenty minutes Cambridge were the better side and should have taken their chances. What followed is nothing short of a disaster. 

 Posh were 4-0 up by half time and James Gibbons had gone off injured. In truth the game was done at 2-0. Cambridge constantly caught on the break by a high quality posh side. Posh fans singing “Cambridge United it’s happened again”, referencing last season’s hammering. Early into the second half it was 5-0. Not many Cambridge fans stayed past half time. I will always stay until the bitter end. Cambridge did score, which was nice to see at London Road. However posh went straight down the other end and added a sixth.

Losing 5-0 last season should have been a one off, but it now feels like it’s an annual tradition to be heavily beaten at London Road. That simply isn’t good enough. The team were pathetic and spineless, how on earth can they be like that two years in a row, for the most important game of the season!? I’m furious with them and would have made them walk home. It’s completely humiliating seeing your biggest rivals cheering right in front of you, singing songs about you and beating you so heavily. Captain Michael Morrison said “A lot of pride has been lost today”. Well the pride level must be well into the minus numbers now. There was no apology from our captain or our manager for letting us down. I hope the players realise how much they have let the fans down. They must bounce back immediately. 

I love my club and always will. But I certainly do not love the vast majority of these players or the manager. Big result needed next weekend. 

Oh, and I can think of somewhere this rabbit can shove its carrot. 

Cambridge game: 537

I’ll leave you with this: 
Don’t have nightmares.




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