We are pleased to announce the 12th Fan and therefore leading the U’s out at the Abbey Stadium for this weekend’s fixture against Stevenage is Alistair Cooke.
The Club have continued the 12th Fan initiative for a second season in 2019/20, which sees one season ticket holder at each home match day rewarded for their support of the U’s.
The initiative, supported by Mick George, sees a Cambridge United supporter profiled on the Club website and match programme, feature in the U’s squad list as number 12 on the programme/teamsheet and lead out the U's at the Abbey Stadium on every match day in 2019/20!
The 12th Fan for Saturday’s fixture is Alistair Cooke, and you can read a preview of his interview in the Amber Rambler here.
How long have you been supporting Cambridge United? What was it that hooked you to become a supporter of the club?
I’ve been following the U’s since I was 13 when I first started going with my school mate Martin Crook. My earliest game memories at the Abbey included seeing Cambridge play against Tottenham Hotspur in the Littlewoods Cup in 1986 with the likes of Hoddle, Waddle, Allen, Ardiles, Gary Mabbutt, and Ray Clemence all on display in our 3-1 loss that day.
What is your best memory of supporting the club and why?
As with many U’s fans it has to be the fantastic trips to see our club play at Wembley. I was at the “Old” Wembley during 1990 at the Fourth Division playoff final 1-0 victory Chesterfield.
There was then the heartbreaks seeing us lose two consecutive play-off finals to Exeter (2008) and Torquay (2009) but this was soon forgotten when taking Francesca along in 2014 when she proved to be just the lucky charm we needed when we won both the FA Vase (against Gosport) and securing our return to the football league beating Gateshead 2-1.
Who would make your all time Cambridge United XI and why?
Attacking line-up would be Dion Dublin up-front with Steve Claridge and David Crown playing just behind, completing the midfield would be Stevie Spriggs, Paul Carden, and Kwesi Appiah. A solid defence comes from Leon Legge, Josh Coulson, Alan Kimble and Wolfie (Lindsay Smith).
Finally has to be John Vaughan at the back if only I believe it was why we first started up the “moose” chant after his goal-kicks circa 1990, oh and he also presented me with my IT diploma when I graduated from the Cambridge ITeC College.
As the 12th Fan, what will it mean to you and how proud will you be to lead out the team out of the tunnel on Sunday?
I’ll be proud to lead the lads out on Match day, being cheered on by both family and many friends all around the ground. I’ll be pleased to see us hopefully secure three points with Francesca in the stands cheering her old Man on, although I do think she still somehow believes I might be playing on at some point during the match!
Tickets for the Stevenage match are available online at cufcdirect.com, with U’s fans able to make a £2 saving when purchasing ahead of match day.