Cambridge United's board has been strengthened by the addition of director Renford Sargent and associate director Richard Smith.

Balsham-born Renford Sargent has supported the U's for 46 years and has long taken an active interest in the club as a sponsor, associate director and a previous spell on the Board. He joined Premier Travel in 1965 and is now the Chairman of Premier Travel Group - a world-wide holiday operation with 28 retail travel agencies and over 200 employees - and has travelled extensively.

Welcoming Renford back to the Board, Chairman George Rolls commented, "It's great that a well-known local businessman with such goodwill and upstanding in the local community has agreed to come back on board.

"Renford is a long-standing supporter of the club with a wealth of business experience. I said when I was appointed Chairman that the club needs stability and continuity to progress, and Renford's appointment will certainly strengthen the board of directors."

Richard Smith has also served previously as a main board director as well as an associate director, and he returns in that latter role.

"Again, Richard is a lifelong fan and ex-director and he is also a former mayor. He has lots of connections in the local community as well knowledge of planning, and he will be able to advise us on ground issues as well as other matters," said George.

"Like Renford, he brings us experience and expertise and both appointments will strengthen the Board of Directors. I am delighted to welcome them both on board."

Renford Sargent hopes to help the club bring the focus back onto matters on the pitch and is pleased to be back as a director.

"I've always stayed close to the board and they have used me in the past for a little bit of advice, and I've been asked to return as a director several times but the timing wasn't quite right because I was spending more time on my business," he said.

"We've had three Chairmen in the last year and all of the focus has been off the pitch, and for any club - and especially one at our level - that is ludicrous. The club was never quite the same after Reg Smart left but George is very enthusiastic and that's just what we need, and I think the family feel is coming back to the club.

"Smaller clubs need all the friends they can get and one of George's aims is to include people more, which I agree with very much. If someone wants to help a club in lower division football then don't turn them away, bring them into the fold! I think this will be the theme from the board from now on and this is why I have rejoined it. Hopefully I can help with some reality and stability, and I can bring some experience too."

Speaking about the nature of a seat on the board of a club at our level, Renford added, "Generally speaking, directors of lower division football clubs don't do it for ego purposes; they are the biggest fans of the club. They work for it, put money in and rarely if ever take anything out. Also you tend to be in the firing line if things aren't going right on the pitch, so I think you really have to love the club to want to get involved at that level.

"I like what I see at the club these days and hopefully we're back on the right track, and perhaps we can get the focus back on the pitch. All the most successful clubs have a settled board and they hang onto their manager, if they've got a good one, for as long as they can, and that's what we need to do."

Concluding by returning to the theme of stability, he said, "The board is getting stronger and one of the things we have to do is not take decisions based on the last couple of games. You need to have the reality to assess things on a season-by-season basis rather than just on a few games."

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