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Referring also to the morning's 1-0 defeat by a strong Ipswich team in a training ground match, Tommy Taylor said, "It's been a good day. Ipswich played their first team and we worked hard and matched them. Tonight we were excellent first half and conceded a muppet goal, then we fell away a bit second half. But Newmarket always play well against us. They wanted to win it and made us work hard, which is what I wanted."
The side on show last night included several trialists who will learn their fate in the next few days.
The team have played the pre-season matches in the new kit supplied by Patrick, which reverts to traditional amber and black quarters with the old Abbey United badge. The deal is for three years and nets the club a "six figure sum", according to Steve Greenall, and in addition Patrick Sportswear will supply all playing kit, training kit and boots for the duration of the deal. After some less than successful deals the club are delighted to be associated with a top-notch supplier.
A United team of youth players and reserves travel to Stamford to play the Stones FC tonight.
Also last night, the youth team friendly against a youth side from John Beck's Lincoln ended in a 0-0 draw, watched by manager David Batch and the new Youth Development Officer Ricky Martin, who officially takes up his post on Thursday.
This morning saw a training match against a team from Ipswich Town. Ipswich used mainly first-teamers and won 1-0 but despite the result and a poor first 20 minutes - Tommy Taylor was pleased with the performance at times. He used a couple of trialists during the match and they will learn of their fate at the end of the week.
The search for a new centre-forward continues and the club have confirmed that Birmingham City's Ian Muir is in talks at present but has not signed, despite some weekend newspaper reports. Fulham's Gary Brazil is also at the club on trial and may sign a short term contract to allow the manager to have a longer look at him. It seems that former Luton midfielder David Preece was offered terms by United earlier this summer but has decided against the move.
Micah Hyde captained a strong Cambridge team which took a while to settle but went in at half-time with a 2-0 lead courtesy of Barnwell and Colin Vowden. Paul Raynor joined the fray after the break and inspired three more goals - Barnwell completing his hat-trick and Vowden scoring again - before adding the last himself.
Hemel Hempstead apparently wrote to 20 league teams asking for a friendly match and United were the only team to even reply, but they presented manager Tommy Taylor with an early opportunity to try out the tactics rehearsed at camp.
"The camp was excellent," said Taylor, "We showed the benefit today."
United's youth team play a youth side from John Beck's Lincoln on Coldham's Common tonight, with the senior squad facing a further four friendly matches this week.
Weekend newspaper speculation has strongly linked the U's with Birmingham's Ian Muir. The striker does not appear to figure in Trevor Francis' plans despite his prolific record at Tranmere, and he will be allowed to leave after a year at St Andrews. Fulham's Gary Brazil is still on trial at the Abbey, together with former Peterboring striker Scott McLeish.
Watford contacted United after another game failed and United were delighted to accept a deal which will see them share the gate proceeds. The match will go ahead on Friday 9th August at 7.45pm and the first team squad will be in action there whilst a mix of youths and reserves are involved at Ampthill on the same night.
He also confirmed that for the fifth consecutive season there is no increase in ticket prices at the Abbey Stadium for the forthcoming season. The prices for the Blackburn match are £6 for adults and £2 for children and over 65s, and £5 and £1 respectively for the Charlton game.
Fulham's striker Gary Brazil, 33, is training with the squad at Bramley Lakes Leisure Centre in Norwich, although even if he impresses Tommy Taylor any deal will not take place until next week as he is under contract with Fulham until the end of the month.
Our next pre-season match is on Saturday, away to Hemel Hempstead.
Manager Tommy Taylor said that the trialists on show would not be invited back, including Otis Roberts who played for the Hong Kong Golden XI against England. Histon's Adie Cambridge, who came on after 55 minutes, and Cambridge City striker Steve Williams, who played up front with Pack may meet the same fate. Williams scored twice in the 7-1 demolition of Enfield on Saturday.
Other news: It seems that United's commercial manager Vince Durrant will not have his six-month contract renewed and club photographer David Smith is mentioned as his possible replacement.
The squad are still away at Bramley Lakes Leisure Centre in Norwich for intensive training before their next friendly match on Saturday, away to Hemel Hempstead.
Tommy Taylor is currently in talks with two forwards and Gary Brazil, the out of contract striker who was with Fulham last season, was at the Abbey today.
Following tonight's match at King's Lynn the squad spend three and a half days at Bramley Lakes Leisure Centre in Norwich, although 'leisure' is the last thing the manager has in mind for them. They face some intensive training, including a 5 a.m. start one morning, before returning for their third pre-season game on Saturday at Hemel Hempstead.
Taylor is in talks with several players with at least one more signing anticipated before the new season begins on August 17th.
The former Coventry player, who finished last season on the injured list, was given a free transfer by United boss Tommy Taylor.
"There was no guarantee Craig's dislocated shoulder might not go again at any time," he said. "Unfortunately with a small squad like ours we just couldn't take the chance of keeping him on. It was a great shame when he suffered the injury again last season when it looked as though he was going to get through all right."
This is sad news for the club as Craig emerged as a useful goal-scoring midfielder last season, third in the scoring table, after a long period of injury.
The half-a-dozen hopefuls training with the squad this week will be joined by another six trialists for tonight's opening friendly at Haverhill. Tommy Taylor will use the game against the Jewson League side to have a look at all the new players in the pre-season training squad.
"He's a very good prospect. He can play full-back or down the wing, and should fit in well to the system we intend using," said Taylor, hinting that he will persevere with the wing-back system.
Williamson, 21, spent two seasons at Motherwell. He was born in Hongkong, with an English father and Irish mother, and the club are awaiting international clearance to conclude the details of his signing.
United are currently in talks with two unnamed goalkeepers.
Paul Ashworth's replacement as Youth Development Officer is currently away with the youth team but will be officially named upon their return. Ashworth left earlier this summer to join local rivals Peterborough.
Oxford manager Denis Smith commented: "I offered Cambridge stupid money for the player and was surprised they turned it down." He would not confirm the figure quoted by the Press in Oxford.
Taylor said, "I don't know where that came from. The Oxford offer was £175,000, plus two further payments of £25,000 depending on appearances."
Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the end of the interest in Craddock, who made 51 appearances in all for United last season and was the club's Player of the Year.
United have turned down a £200,000 offer for Jody Craddock from first division Oxford United.
Manager Tommy Taylor says he values the young defender at more than double that figure. "I don't want to sell Jody at all," he said. "He is a key member of our squad and I'm sure the club wouldn't consider it unless there was a much bigger bid."
Craddock - who at 21 is already one of the longest serving players in the current squad - was reportedly watched by Premiership clubs last season and will surely be the next star the club are forced to sell to reduce their debts.
The CEN reports that the club have lost their longest serving supporter with the death of Lily Harrison at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, aged 92.
Cambridge United are back in the swing -- and the swim -- as they tackle one of their toughest spells of pre-season training.
Some players were literally thrown in the deep end as manager Tommy Taylor welcomed them back from their summer break with a rigorous fitness regime. A gruelling session with army physical eduction instructors at Waterbeach barracks was followed by a freezing dip in the open air pool on Jesus Green.
"One or two had to be encouraged to get their hair wet," said Taylor, "but I wanted something to get them livened up right from the start. It was very cold, but I think they enjoyed it once they got used to it."
From the Cambridge Evening News.