Club History: 1983 - Present
Club History 2 of 2

2. Club History: 1983 - Present


Cambridge University Press Football Club was founded in 1893, making us the oldest club in the city affiliated to Cambridgeshire FA. We are older than both Cambridge City (1908) and Cambridge United (1912).

It took the club 20 years to win its first honour, claiming the prestigious Cambridgeshire Senior Cup (Now Challenge Cup) in 1913/14. In 1928/29 the Cambridgeshire League Division 2 title was won, with the Division 1 title sealed two years later. The club won the Cambridgeshire Premier League for the only time in its history in 1934/35.

On 31st August 1932, the club made history by becoming the first team to visit the Abbey Stadium, losing 2-0 to the then Abbey United. It was some 30 years later that further success was achieved when the club won the Division 2b title in 1967/68. The club had a long wait for the next piece of silverware, which was won in 1985/86 with the capturing of the Cambridgeshire Junior Cup.

The last 25 years has seen the clubs honours list increase dramatically.

In 1992/93 the Division 2a title was won, with the reserves winning Division 3b a year later in 1993/94. The reserves gained double success in 2002/03 winning the Division 3b title and the John Ablett Cup. In 2003/04 the Cambridgeshire Senior B title was won, and a year later runners-up spot in Senior A was achieved to send the club into the Kershaw Premier League. During the 2004/05 season, Nigel Dixon was appointed Manager.
The clubs first year in the Premier in 2005/06 saw a respectable fourth place finish.

For 2006/07, Cambridge University Press came on board as the clubs major sponsor, with the club benefiting from new club clothing and equipment. All three teams did not disappoint, with the First Team finishing 3rd in the KPL, Reserves 4th (and winning the Junior Cup) and the A Team 3rd.
Season 2007/08 saw further success with the First Team finishing 4th, but claiming the Kershaw Premier League Cup. The reserves won Division 2a without losing a game and retained the Junior Cup, whilst the A Team won Division 3a. The club also created a link with local junior side Fulbourn Falcons.

In 2008/09 the First Team again finished 3rd in the KPL and were runners-up in the Challenge Cup. The reserves finished 3rd in 1a missing promotion by one point and the A Team finished in 4th place. The newly formed Youth Team finished runners-up in the Eastern Junior Alliance Suffolk Division and won the Magners Cup.

2009/10 saw further success with the First Team finishing as runners-up in the Kershaw Premier league, the reserves missing out on promotion by one point again and the A Team finishing as Division 2a Champions. The Veterans won the inaugural Cambs FA Veterans Cup, whilst the under 18's were once again runners-up and the newly formed under 15's finished 4th in their debut Eastern Junior Alliance season.

2010/11 saw the club competing in the Ridgeons League Division One, where we finished a very credible fourth. 2011/12 saw us finish in eighth position, also reaching the semi-final of the Ridgeons Division One Cup. At the end of the season, Nigel Dixon left the club after eight years.

In May 2012, former Histon, Cambridge CIty and Hardwick manager, Graham Daniels,was appointed manager. The 2012/13 season proved to be a mixture of great success and disappointment. The First Team won the Thurlow Nunn Division One, but unfortunately had to resign from the league following the ending of the groundshare agreement with Histon. Graham Daniels, moved on to Cambridge United, to join the board of directors and the club appointed Andy Ross as first team manager and David Cullum to head up the Reserves. The 2013/14 season saw two senior CUP sides competing in the Kershaw Premier League and the Kershaw Senior A Division. Both teams struggled throughout the season, but managed to survive in their respective divisions.

For 2014/15 the First team competed in the Kershaw Premier League and the Reserves in Kershaw Senior A. It was a season of struggle once again for both teams and ended it with relegation for the First Team after a draw in their final game of the season, which in turn saw the Reserves also relegated to make way in Senior A for the Firsts.

In 2015/16, Luke McAvoy took over the running of the First Team with Ciaran Wilkinson his assistant for a short time until he focused on playing and then switched clubs. Andy Burton continued in charge of the Reserves after taking the reins in October 2015 but stepped away a year later. October 2016 saw Mac McDonald add the First Team assistant manager's role to his position of Physio, while players Baz O'Rourke and Ryan Cullum stepped up to joint manage the Reserves. After a tricky 1st half of the season, both teams improved with the First Team finishing a respectable 6th and Reserves doing the near impossible to survive relegation.

2016/17 saw management teams remain in place looking to build on the previous season. A solid campaign saw the First Team secure promotion from Senior A back to the Premier division with a 2nd place finish, as well as reaching the quarter and semi finals of the cups, while the Reserves consolidated an improving campaign to claim 10th in Senior B achieving a cup run to a semi final along the way.