Cambridge United are one of the most recent additions to the Football League, yet looking back to the earliest days of football, Cambridge has had a great influence in formulating the rules of the game. The generally acknowledged first ever set of laws for the game was devised by the famous university around 1848.

Abbey United, who changed their name to Cambridge United after turning professional in 1949, were formed in 1913 after a meeting between several enthusiasts under a street lamp in Stanley Street. They started life in a very minor fashion, playing at Midsummer Common and with the advent of the First World War they ceased activities until 1919, when they were in fact reformed. Their new venue was Stourbridge Common. As the club’s status rose a more appropriate home was required. And what better choice could have been made than a move to Station Farm, Barnwell, in 1923, with a pitch so poor and so full of vegetable plots that it led the ground being known as The Celery Trenches!!

As a result the club made a move to Parker’s Piece in the centre of the town in 1930. It may well have been an idyllic setting but yet again Abbey United had managed to find a location totally unsuitable for football, so a more suitable and permanent ground was required. Eventually this was found during the summer of 1931, just off Newmarket Road. It took Abbey United one year to build what was to become the Abbey Stadium. In the meantime, during the preparations, the club returned to graze The Celery Trenches once more…

Cambridge United were elected to the league in 1970 at the expense of Bradford Park Avenue. They have always played in amber and black, but for the late Sixties when they appeared in a vibrant all-yellow strip. They sported every possible combination, stripes from the very beginning, quartered shirts, amber shirts with black collars or a large black ‘V’, and all-white shirts with an amber and black trim. Their nickname “U’s” is taken from United, their former nickname being “The Wasps”, taken after their black and amber kit.

Antony Evans netted a 59th-minute winner as Bristol Rovers came from behind to beat Northampton 2-1 in a feisty League Two clash at the Memorial Stadium.

Both sides could have netted in a lively opening to the game, Evans shooting wide from a good chance and Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw saving well from a Kion Etete volley at the other end.

The hosts were denied by the woodwork in the 33rd minute, Josh Grant firing against a post from Sam Finlay’s pass.

And the visitors took a 39th-minute lead when Connor Taylor fouled Paul Lewis inside the area and Sam Hoskins sent Belshaw the wrong way with a side-footed penalty.

But Grant levelled after 53 minutes with a powerful far-post header from Harry Anderson’s right-wing cross.

And just six minutes later Sam Nicholson forced a defensive error, allowing Evans to stride through and shoot low past Liam Roberts.

Rovers had midfielder Glenn Whelan sent off for a second booking after a 67th-minute foul on Mitch Pinnock but held out with few alarms.

MK Dons moved into the League One play-off places with an emphatic 4-1 win over Cambridge.

Scott Twine and Max Watters both scored twice before Sam Smith grabbed a late consolation as Liam Manning’s side secured back-to-back league victories.

The hosts took the lead when Watters’ cross found Twine unmarked in the six-yard box for the former Swindon man to tap home.

The dominant Dons added a second when Watters raced through on goal from a Twine through ball, before the Cardiff loanee found the far corner with a neat left-footed finish.

Twine added his second with a superb free-kick from just outside the Cambridge box which United keeper Dimitar Mitov could only stand and admire as MK Dons made it 3-0 before half-time.

Watters completed his double and added the home side’s fourth in the second half after again linking with Twine to race through and volley into the roof of the net.

Smith tapped home a late goal for the visitors at the death but United’s two-match winning league run came to an end at Stadium MK.

Northampton and Cambridge will have to do it all over again after drawing in the first round of the FA Cup at Sixfields.

The Cobblers hit the front with just six minutes played when Kion Etete brought down Sam Hoskins’ long pass, dummied inside a defender and slipped a shot under the body of Dimitar Mitov.

But the lead lasted only seven minutes as Sam Smith quickly levelled for Cambridge when heading in Jack Iredale’s free-kick.

Joe Ironside forced a good save from home stopper Liam Roberts shortly before Northampton restored their lead as the excellent Etete put the ball on a plate for Paul Lewis to score against his former club.

Hoskins was close to extending the home side’s lead when shooting wide, but Cambridge were back on level terms midway through the second half as Conor Masterson smashed in the loose ball after Northampton failed to clear Jensen Weir’s free-kick.

Northampton were the more likely team to win it but both teams will be in the hat for Monday’s draw after Mitov denied Mitch Pinnock late on.

Highlights of the two clubs last meeting together.

Played	Won	Draw	Lost	F	A
44	17	14	14	75	66

Played for both

Here’s an in-depth look at we look at Colin Calderwood playing profile.

Darren Drysdale will be the man in the middle for the Cobblers FA Cup first Round Replay on Tuesday night.

The Lincolnshire-based official will travel to the Abbey Stadium for his 12th game of the campaign and his second in FA Cup. Drysdale is currently in his 18th season as an EFL official.

His first game of the campaign was a 2-2 draw with Forest Green and Bristol City in the Carabao Cup, which ended with five cautions. Meanwhile, his latest game was at 2-2 draw between Hartlepool and Wycombe.

His latest Cobblers Game

Date	Comp	Match	Y	R
16/02/21	League One	Ipswich 0 Northampton 0	5	1
05/09/20	EFL Cup	Northampton 3 Cardiff 0	7	0
04/09/18	League Trophy	Northampton Wycombe 1	4	0
17/10/17	League One	Rochdale 2 Northampton 2	3	0
12/09/17	League One	Northampton 3 Portsmouth 1	4	0
31/12/16	League One	Sheffield United 1 Northampton 0	1	0
09/01/19	FA Cup	Northampton 2 MK Dons 2	1

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1	Northampton Town and Cambridge United last faced in the FA Cup in the second round in 2002-03, with the U’s winning 1-0 in a replay. Northampton have won their last two matches against Cambridge, winning in the EFL Trophy and League Two in the 2019-20 season.
2	Northampton have won their last two matches against Cambridge prior to the first round draw., winning in the EFL Trophy and League Two in the 2019-20 season.
3	Northampton have been knocked out in the FA Cup first round in three of the last four seasons, including last season against non-league Oxford City.
4	Since beating Sutton United 1-0 in the first round in 2017-18, Cambridge have been knocked out in each of their last four FA Cup ties, losing in the first round in the last three seasons.