Football Season Guide

Cambridge United will be looking to push for promotion this season after an ultimately disappointing 2015/16 campaign. The U’s made a long-awaited return to the Football League via the Conference play-off final at Wembley in 2014 after nine years away. They enjoyed a rollercoaster return as they held Premier League giants Manchester United to a goal-less draw in a F.A. Cup fourth road tie before losing in the replay at Old Trafford. They suffered something of a hangover after that to eventually finish in 19th place. Despite that manager Richard Money signed a new three deal last summer and handed the funds from the cup run to splash out on the likes of defenders Elliot Omozusi and Mark Roberts, midfielder Keith Keane, winger Jeff Hughes and striker Barry Corr. A promising start to the season soon evaporated and Money was sacked at the beginning of November with the side in 18th place. He was replaced by former Notts County boss Shaun Derry and results improved immediately. He eventually guided the U’s to a 9th place finish, seven points adrift of the play-offs. Only the return of midfielder Luke Berry was a success from last summer’s signings, finishing as leading goalscorer with 13 goals, one ahead of Barry Corr, who missed the second half of the season following knee surgery. Derry has spend the summer building his own squad ahead of an expected push for the play-off places in 2016/17. He will be disappointed not to have retained the services of striker James Spencer, who has left to join Plymouth Argyle, but has replaced him with striker Joe Pigott from Charlton Athletic. Wingers Medy Elito and Piero Mingoia have arrived from Newport County and Accrington Stanley respectively and they go into the new season with raised expectations from the Abbey Stadium faithful.