On The Spot

Will Jones tackles David Preece

Every week Roy McFarland gives an exclusive weekly interview to U's Net and answers a selection of questions from supporters. We do our best to ask every question but inevitably if they have already been asked or there are a lot of questions we have to pick the best or most topical questions. Please don't give up!

This week Roy McFarland was unavailable so player-coach David Preece stood in to discuss the vital win at Scunthorpe, next week's transfer deadline and the FA charge resulting from events after the Brentford game. He also looks forward to the next two games against Wrexham and his old club Luton Town, and responds to the questions you want answered as U's Net reporter Will Jones puts him … "On The Spot".

Q. Looking at the actual team performance, that must have been very pleasing again? We are keeping clean sheets now, which has taken us a while to do, and of course with our goal scoring record that will obviously bring the victories ...

We have always had the ability to score the goals. I have always said when we all perform well, all eleven players on the field, we are good enough to match anybody. All season we have had up and down form and have had a few people off form but the lads have really buckled down well and, fair play to them, they have produced the goods.

Q. We have switched from the 4-3-3 formation that brought us so much success last season to a 4-4-2. It perhaps isn't a coincidence that since we have done that our midfield seems to have been running the games. Would you agree?

I think the system has helped us defensively as well as attacking. This division is a much stronger league and I would love to stay in it as the boys are only going to get better. We have some good players coming through and we will have the boys such as Russell and Duncan back next season and they will love this division.

The shape of the midfield four gives us Paul Wanless, Ian Ashbee, Neil Mustoe, Neil Mackenzie, John Hansen and Tom Youngs. They are all good players and, like I say, the mix and match of the team and the shape is getting a bit better and healthier. We had the 4-4-3 last season because of the players we had.

Q. It is the transfer deadline next week, and the club have announced that Jamie Cassidy (left) has been put on the transfer market. Do you expect any new signings or departures before next Thursday?

We are always looking to strengthen the squad. If you think you have enough then I think you're blinking. You should always try to improve, and we and the team want to get better. We are always looking about, and if people leave they leave, and if people come in we will hope they are better than we have at the moment.

Q. Looking at an event off the pitch this week, the club have been charged by the FA for failing to control the players after the recent defeat at Brentford. You were very quick to run over to the side of the pitch where the United players were talking to the referee - what were your views on the incident?

Straight after the final whistle the boys went over to the referee, and I just wanted to get them away. We have studied the video later in the week when it arrived from Brentford and have seen nothing; we haven't got hold of him or intimidated him and it looks quite mellow. I know the manager and the secretary will hopefully appeal against it, as we were only having our say as it is hard to speak to the referee once he is in his dressing room.

Q. I suppose you have to remember that those players have won the Fair Play award twice out of the last three seasons as well?

It is frustrating. At Brentford we thought we had the game won and we had a blatant penalty the referee didn't give. Then a Brentford player kicks the ball straight at Martin McNeil's arm just before the end and he gives them a penalty. Our players are fighting for their lives and their careers but looking at the video none of them did anything that we thought was wrong.

Q. We entertain Wrexham on Saturday and have a good chance to drag another side into the relegation dogfight, as well as continuing our fine form in the process. How will the club be approaching the game?

We haven't won two games back-to-back at the Abbey all season. We completed our first double in the league with Bristol and Scunthorpe so it would nice to win two homes games on the trot. Like you say it could drag Wrexham nearer us, and take us away from the bottom four.

Q. Do you think the game might have a slight edge when you consider it wasn't that long ago we knocked them out the FA Cup in front of their own fans?

They picked themselves up after the cup game and got a few results. They will want revenge, but we have it all to fight for as we are in a lower position than them. We have to prove on Saturday that it wasn't a fluke at Wrexham, where we got the result without playing very well, and it would be nice to go out on Saturday and put in a great performance to show them we were worthy winners.

Q. What is the team news for the game, as we seem to have an ever growing injury list at the club. Are Jason Kavanagh, Tom Cowan and Neil Mustoe likely to be in contention for a place?

It does look a little healthier. Tom and Jason have both trained the last few days. Marc Joseph has come in and done really well at left back and Ben Chenery (right) has done as well as him at right back, so there is a lot of competition.

For the football club that is very healthy. The gaffer has already said a month ago that he will chop and change the team and that is good as nobody is guaranteed a place.

Q. Looking ahead to the Tuesday we travel to play your old side Luton Town, have you or Roy had a chance to think about that game yet?

Me and the boss haven't looked that far ahead, but I have thought about how many tickets I am going to need! It is one I am looking forward to as I think we are going to get a result there. We prefer night games and we had a great game against them here earlier in the season where both teams played well. It is two good young football sides and I think we are as good as anybody. The table says different because we haven't performed consistently.

Will Jones

Q. Stephen from Cambridge asks: Most sportsmen have a warming-down period after performing. When footballers are substituted they simply sit down on the bench. Why is this, and do you think there would be fewer injuries if they warmed-down properly?

Q. Barry Moore of Cambridge asks: Does the U's pay code stop us recruiting a good centre half?

When we came back pre-season the boss - and he is one of the best in the business, mark my words - said that if we are going to do any good in this division then we are going to need a centre-half. We have looked to find one. He has found one, but the wage structure was too much so we have had to look elsewhere. We have looked and looked and haven't found one that we feel would be good enough to go straight into the team, or if we have found them we haven't been able to afford him.

Q. Jonathan Fox of Ramsey asks: I know Daniel Chillingworth as I go to the same school as he did, and saw what a great player he is. I was wondering if there is any chance of him, or any other youth team player e.g. Adam Tann, playing in the first team before the end of the season?

I think if we were a mid-table side they would have got their opportunity before now and had a few games. We are a young side, but if you just throw the kids into a side where we are then they would have found it very hard and it could have seriously damaged their careers before they had even started. The boy Chillingworth has got a hell of a chance if he keeps on playing like he is, not just at Cambridge United. Tann has played for England youth and has an old head on young shoulders. They will get their chance, and it would have come earlier if we had been in mid-table.

Q. Josh Holly asks: There's been a lot of talk about how many points will be needed to stay in this division. How many points do you think we need and are you and the players confident of keeping this club in Division Two?

I said from the beginning of the season I would like 50 points and stick, and I would still like that. The boss thinks it's going to be less, but I think it's going to be higher as anyone can beat anyone in this division. I would like 50, to be able to say 'you come and catch us'. The boys seem confident but deep down I am not sure if they are because if they were, then we would be higher than we are in the table.

Q. Tom Covell of Cherry Hinton , Cambridge asks: If we are relegated how will we hang on to our best players, such as Benjamin and Russell?

I don't want to look that far down the line as I think we will stay in Division Two and will want to keep all our players. There is only one division to be in and it will be a major disappointment for everyone if we go back into Division Three again. It will be a culture shock as this is a division that plays football and we would love to stay here.

Q. David Partridge asks: In view of the recent up-turn in form and the fine partnership that has developed between John Taylor and Trevor Benjamin, do you feel you might have under-played Shaggy earlier in the season? Has the management (including John himself) convinced themselves that he is not physically up to playing too often when, in fact, he still is? Or is it just that the 4-4-2 formation suits him?

You can't knock the way the different combinations of strikers have performed this season. Martin has sadly moved on but John has come in and he and Trevor have done the business. We don't think we have underplayed John. We have scored enough goals this season it's just at the other end where we have failed.

At the moment, touch wood, we are performing well enough defensively to keep us in Division Two.

If you would like to have your question asked next week, please follow this link and complete the form. Whenever possible the answers will be available every Thursday night.

As ever, we would like to thank Graham Eales for the opportunity to put these questions to David Preece, and Preecey himself for his co-operation.

If you have any comments about this regular feature, either for Will or myself or for Roy or Graham, please use this e-mail address: feedback@cambridgeunited.com