Jezolution

U’s Must Keep Faith With Their Jezolution

IT WAS a night of going from one extreme to the other for Cambridge United on Tuesday when went to the Abbey.

From manager Jez George writing in his programme notes ahead of the visit of the Blue Square Bet Premier's bottom club: “Our supporters are the one thing about the club no-one can ever question.”

To then, in his interview after the 3-1 defeat, questioning some supporters who had booed.

From Luke Berry going from being the brightest player in the opening half an hour, to the dimmest when he flew in for a tackle that was only ever going to end in a second yellow card inside three minutes.

From the fans who applauded the midfielder down the tunnel, to the same men who groaned every time another youngster, Liam Hughes, went near the ball.

From supporters tweeting me saying, like @NeilWeston78: “It saddens me to say, but Jez has lost the plot and is turning a good Cambridge squad into relegation candidates”.

To others declaring they were still #teamJez, and the youthful project to protect the centenary-celebrating club's future was still in progress.

And so it is, just like I said it would be in pre-season when I looked at the squad George had assembled – the likes of keeper Jonathan Hedge, centre-half Scott Garner, winger Robbie Willmott and striker Tom Elliott added to those who finished ninth last year, and predicted a top-five season.

OK, they might be up against it now after a run of eight games without a win. And worryingly, last term's second-best defence had conceded 22 goals in that run, before yesterday's trip to .

But in George they have a man who cares passionately about the club and his young players. He bemoaned the fact that injuries to Garner, Michael Wylde and Kevin Roberts had denied him his most experienced back four members for most of the campaign so far.

And when he said that if you took striker Michael Gash, 26, out of the team that finished the 4-2 defeat at last Saturday, you had an outfield line up of something like 21, 19, 23, 22, 20, 20, 20, 19, 21?, he sounded like a bingo caller.

But he will get the turn in luck that brings the Abbey a full house.

Appreciation

When things are going against young players, confidence inevitably is sapped. Gash chased a winnable ball into the corner early on Tuesday and no team-mate was within 40 yards. They have become so used to conceding they had two banks of four still inside their own half.

In my experience, Cambridge fans are among the most supportive in the Conference.

When I think back to ‘hairs on the back of the neck moments, the reception they gave George upon return form one of his nationwide walks to raise money for their youth system is right up there.

There were boos and chants of ‘What a load of rubbish' on Tuesday, but by the time George and his players reached the tunnel, they had subsided to applause in appreciation of the effort they had put in, playing 10 v 11 for an hour.

Before the game, I had put on twitter my belief that both U's and Kidderminster were both in false positions.

“When it went down to ten men, I don't know, I just think that perhaps people need to appreciate how hard it is playing with ten men, at home, in the run that we're on,? said George.

“People say the league table doesn't lie. It doesn't lie in May. But it definitely lies in September because they ain't going to be bottom.

He added: “You can criticise our lack of quality at times, or our lack of nous or experience or whatever. But the lads worked their socks off, they were committed to the cause, they kept going and they are together. We can't keep losing, but I won't have anyone criticise them tonight.”

Future

His loyalty is admirable, especially to 20-year-old Berry,? in my opinion one of the finest central midfield prospects in .

“He's upset and he's just said ‘I've let you down, but he's never let me down,”? said George. “He's a great young lad who's going to have a brilliant future in the game.

“He was a bit naive and over-enthusiastic and probably, like one or two of the younger ones at the minute, too desperate to do well because of the situation.”

I always think it strange when a red-carded player is applauded off, but I understand the United fans wanting to show their support for one of their own.

I hope they carry on doing the same for the leader of their ‘Jezolution' and judge whether progress has been made in May, not September.

My Old Friends Know Just It's At

IT'S BEEN a good week for two of my old Ware team-mates.

On Monday, I went to to see their replay with fancied Ryman Premier side .

John Frendo scored twice and led the Sussex club's back four, including ex-Millwall, Crystal Palace and Gillingham defender Matt Lawrence, a merry-dance in the Canaries' 5-0 success.

A sure sign of respect for him came from veteran forward, Scott McGleish, who walked 30 yards to make sure he shook his opponent's hand when he was subbed shortly before the end.

Yesterday I was at Newport to see the BSBP leaders host Grimsby, featuring John's old travelling and holiday partner, Scott Neilson.

While John struggles with on-field discipline, winger Scottie has had problems off it – a conviction for ABH no doubt harming his chances under a new manager at parent club Crawley.

Having sat on the bench or in the stand for the first month of the League One season, I encouraged him to join the Mariners on a three-month loan because he'd soon be forgotten.

As a Conference winner and scorer of the goal that took Crawley, up to League One, he's proved worthy of a League future with his talent, and he's earned decent reviews at Blundell Park for his dribbling, pace and passing in 4-1 and 3-0 wins over Luton and .

Now 25, the ‘Jack-the-lad' knows he needs to knuckle down and if Grimsby, or any other club, signed him long-term, they will have the most exciting player in Non-League on their books. Bar none.

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