Abbey Stadium – Cambridge United

The Club have announced tentative proposals to build a new 12,000 capacity stadium. The stadium would be built on a site close in-between Cambridge Airport and Junction 35 of the A14, around a mile due east of the current Abbey Stadium, along Newmarket Road (A1303). However with the proposed site of the new stadium being on greenbelt land and with no funding for the project in place, then there are going to be quite a number of hurdles for the Club to overcome to make this happen. The artists’ mock-up of how the new stadium may look is courtesy of the Cambridge United website, where more images and information about the project can be found.

The Main Stand on one side is a covered two-tiered all seated stand, part of which is used as a Family Enclosure. This traditional looking stand was built in 1967 and was later extended. It has a number of supporting pillars and the team dugouts are located at its front, either side of the player’s tunnel. Opposite is the Habbin Stand. This covered terrace was opened in 1960 and named after a former Supporters Club President. It runs for almost the entire length of the pitch. It does though have a number of supporting pillars running across its middle.

At one end of the ground is the modern South Stand, which was opened in 2002. This good sized covered single tiered, all seated stand, replaced a former open terrace. The seating area is raised in this stand, meaning that supporters enter the stand via a small flight of stairs. To one side of this stand, on the Main Stand side is a Police Control Box. The North Terrace at the other end of the ground is covered. However, it only runs for about half the width of the pitch, with one side ending in line with the eighteen-yard box. On one side towards the Habbin Terrace is a very small covered terrace that backs on to the supporters club building.

Away fans are housed in the Mead Grab & Plant Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 1,600 supporters can be seated. However normally only half the stand is open on match days on the Habbin side of the ground. This relatively new covered, all seated stand has good facilities and is raised a little above the pitch, although it is set back a bit from the playing action, but generally gives good views of the game. For some larger games then the South part of the Habbin terrace can also be made available. This covered terrace can accommodate almost 1,000 supporters.

The entrance to the away section is reached by walking along a path through Coldham Common, which is a field that is used from time to time to graze cows (well judging from the number of cow pats!). Not much fun at the best times and especially when it is a bit more difficult to see for those night games! On looking at the ground from the main Newmarket Road then the path to the away sections is down the right-hand side of the ground.

The refreshments on offer include Cheeseburgers (£3.50), Burgers (£3), Hot Dogs (£3.50), Steak Pies (£3), Chicken Balti Pies (£3) and Potato, Cheese & Onion Pasties (£3). Whilst Graham Young tells me; ‘On the whole Cambridge is a good day out as it is generally relaxed and friendly’.

There is a supporters club at the ground itself, that normally allows in away supporters, except for high profile games. The club charges a £2 entrance fee and also serves food. However as you would expect on matchdays it gets rather busy and sometimes has to turn away fans because it is full. Near to the away turnstiles there is an outdoor fan zone which welcomes all fans (although away fans have to show their match ticket to enter). It has a bar facility the ‘Abbey Arms’ that normally has a real ale on offer, plus food outlets. music and entertainment.

With a number of pubs in the local area having closed down, there is little choice for away fans in the way of a pre-match pint. Along Newmarket Road going to towards the city centre is the Wrestlers pub, which also offers Thai food. Otherwise it may be in an idea to drink in the centre of Cambridge before the game or enroute.

Jeff Beastall a visiting Mansfield Town fan adds; ‘Unable to get admittance into the supporters club at the ground, the police directed us towards Cambridge town centre. We set off down Newmarket Road then bore a left into East Road (A603). Just past KFC on the right is Dover Street and here well tucked away is a little gem of a pub – The Tram Depot. As its name implies, it was once where the trams into town would have started from. It is a character pub offering a broad selection of beers and lagers, with meals and snacks,  It is just over a mile away from the ground which took me around 20 minutes to walk back to. However, the pub prefers that you keep team colours covered. Postcode for the Tram Depot is CB1 1DY with a bit of off-street parking nearby if you wish to call for swift one before heading to the game’.

The Abbey Stadium, Cambridge’s current ground, is 99 years old. Cambridge United, however, have only played their games there for 90 years having first occupied the stadium in 1932. At this time the ‘stadium’ was a single stand with changing rooms. Still, Cambridge had a home. Prior to the move to Abbey Stadium the club had been somewhat nomadic around the city with various pitches used.

From the North

Take the A1 and A14 to Cambridge, heading towards Newmarket. Turn off onto the B1047 sign posted for Cambridge Airport. At the top of the slip road turn right towards Fen Ditton. Go through Fen Ditton until you reach a T Junction, where at the traffic lights you turn right into Newmarket Road. Go straight across the roundabout (there is a McDonalds on one corner) and you will come to Abbey Stadium on your left hand side.

From the South

Take the M11 to Junction 14 and then join the A14 towards Newmarket. Turn off onto the B1047 signposted for Cambridge Airport. Then as North.

From the West:
Take the A428 to Cambridge, then join the A14, heading towards Newmarket. Turn off onto the B1047 signposted for Cambridge Airport. Then as North.

Car Parking

There is no parking available for away fans at the ground. There is some parking to be had on the streets surrounding the stadium. Otherwise some off road car parking is available behind the stadium. To reach this, continue past the ground entrance for another 400 yards and turn left at the traffic lights into Coldhams Lane. Continue for about 300 yards, crossing a small roundabout and over a railway bridge, The car park entrance is on the left about 50 yards beyond the bridge. Thanks to Chris Armstrong for providing the directions and car parking details.

Around a mile and a half away on Newmarket Road on the outskirts of Cambridge is a Park & Ride facility that football fans can use on Saturday match days. Although primarily to take shoppers into the City Centre it passes and will stop near the ground. The cost is £2.50 return per person (or £3 for one adult plus one under 16). After the match there is a dedicated Park & Ride bus parked across from the stadium to take fans back to the park and ride. If following the directions above then you will pass the Park & Ride on your right (its post code is CB5 8AA).

There is also the option of renting a private driveway in the local area via: YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Please note that after the match has ended roads around the stadium can get pretty deadlocked at times. So you may wish to consider parking further away from the Abbey Stadium to help avoid this.

The owners of the Abbey Stadium, Grosvenor Estate have announced ambitious plans to increase the capacity of the stadium to around 11,000. This would be achieved by building a new 3,500 capacity terrace at the Newmarket Road (South) end of the ground. This would be followed by replacing the current Habbin Terrace with a new 3,000 all seated stand complete with corporate areas. The final phase would see the current Main Stand being refurbished and extended. However the scheme is dependent on Grosvenor Estates being given permission to pursue other developments in the Cambridge area, the profits from which would be used to fund the Abbey Stadium Developments.

An artists impression of how the redeveloped stadium would look (image courtesy of Cambridge United FC)

The main Cambridge Railway Station is over two miles away, so best to catch a taxi (about £9). The station is served by trains from Birmingham New Street, Norwich, Ipswich and London King’s Cross. In May 2017 the new Cambridge North Railway Station was opened. At just under two miles away from the Abbey Stadium, it is slightly closer than Cambridge Railway Station, but still a fair way. It is also served by trains, from Norwich and London King’s Cross, as well as London Liverpool Street.

Walking or By Bus From Cambridge Railway Station

If you decide to walk to the ground, then it is a fair old stroll, and a mazey route, but should only take 30 minutes at a good pace. Leave the station and take the first right hand turn into Tenison Avenue. Just beyond the traffic lights turn right into St. Barnabas Road. Follow this road along over the traffic lights and into Gywdir Road. Go through the traffic barrier and take the first left turn into Norfolk Street. Then take the first right turn just past the newsagents into St. Matthews Street, pass the church and take the 4th right into New Street. Follow all the way along until you reach Coldhams Lane. Head left here and then take the first right onto Newmarket Road, continue along this road for the ground. Thanks to ‘Main Stand Matt’ for providing the directions.

Steve Horabin suggests an alternative walking route from the station with beer and food stops along the way; ‘When exiting the station entrance immediately turn right and cut through the car park. At end of the car park, you will see a pedestrian exit which takes you onto Devonshire Road. Turn right and just before the end of the road you will see the entrance to the Devonshire Arms on your left. This pub shows BT & Sky Sports on large screens and has up to five real ales from the Milton Brewery, it is also listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. On exiting the pub turn left and at the crossroads turn right into Mill Road (or if you go straight across into Kingston Street, there is another CAMRA Good Beer Guide pub, the Kingston Arms up on the left). Proceed over the bridge and pass a pub on your left called the Earl Of Beaconsfield, then in the next parade of shops is good fish and chip shop called the Seatree. Take the next left into Sedgwick Road which becomes Cromwell Road. Where the road forks, keep to the left (still Cromwell Road) and at the end of the road cross straight over onto to the common and there is a pathway running to the left, which leads you over to the stadium. The total walking time from the station to the ground using this route is around 25 minutes.’

Richard Green a visiting Macclesfield Town fan adds; ‘There are frequent buses that run to the Abbey Stadium before and after the game. I got on the C3, although the bus drivers in Cambridge directed me to several different numbered buses before a more ‘down-to-earth’ Cambridge fan (who was actually a bus driver), correctly directed me to the C3 bus. The bus journey takes 10-15 minutes’. The fare is £2.50 return.

Walking From Cambridge North Railway Station

The ground is signposted from the station. Turn left from the station, go through the cycle park then along the cycle path which leads down to a street called Moss Bank. At the bottom of Moss Bank you will reach a T-junction where you turn right and cross over onto Fen Road, which leads into Water Street. Keep on the left hand side and you’ll see a Greene King Pub called the Green Dragon. After crossing the Green Dragon bridge onto Stourbridge Common, take the left sided footpath towards Garlic Row -again there are signs to Abbey. Keep on the left until reaching the end of Garlic Row and turn left onto Newmarket Road. The Abbey Stadium is a couple of minutes away on the right.

Thanks to Peter Neep and Christopher Mason for providing these directions.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Official Programme: £3

Home Fans*
Main Stand (Centre): Adults £20, No Concessions
Main Stand (Wings): Adults £20, Concessions £15, Under 18’s £10**
Main Stand Family Enclosure: Adults £18, Concessions £13, Under 18’s £8**
North and Habbin Terraces: Adults £16, Concessions £12, Under 18’s £8**

Away Fans*
South Stand (Seating): Adults £20, Concessions £15, Under 18’s £10
Habbin Terrace: Adults £16, Concessions £12, Under 18’s £8

* These ticket prices are for those tickets purchased prior to matchday. Tickets bought on the day of the game can cost up to £2 more.
** Under 16’s can qualify for further discounts on these prices if they become club members.
Concessions apply to Over 64’s, Under 22’s and Students with an NUS Card.

Cambridge vs Peterborough rivalry: Cambridge and Peterborough haven’t always been playing their games in the same leagues but there is a real rivalry between the teams. This is largely centred on the fac they’re the two biggest clubs in their region; just an hour separates the two cities.

Cambridge vs Luton rivalry: Like their derby games with Peterborough, Cambridge and Luton is a game with added spice albeit not quite at the same intensity. This is largely because Luton have other teams nearer by that attract their hatred.

Cambridge United FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website)

For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the  Level Playing Field website.

Record Attendance

14,000 v Chelsea
Friendly, 1st May 1970.

Average Attendance

2019-2020: 4,072 (League Two)
2018-2019: 4,231 (League Two)
2017-2018: 4,523 (League Two)

Official Web Site:
Cambridge-United.co.uk

Unofficial Web Site: 
Cambridge United Mad (FootyMad network)

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.