Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith returned to the first team with a bang at Woking, following up a successful month on loan with reserve side CRC by scoring the decisive goal in United's 1-0 win.
"It was amazing to score on my comeback to the first team and I was a very happy lad!" admits 'Smudger', who has been with United since he was spotted on a youth development course at the age of eight.
"I've been practicing my shooting quite a bit and I saw the ball dropping out of the sky, and I just thought I'd give it a go and luckily it found the net. It's definitely one of the best I've scored and probably one of the most important so far," he adds. "It was a really important win for us and a good result to go there and pick up the points."
Still only 20, many supporters can be forgiven for thinking he is older because he made an impressive first team debut at the age of just 17, when he was still a first year scholar.
The 2003-04 season was his first as a full-time footballer and he was part of the youth team that reached the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup and went on to win the Merit Division of the South Central Conference.
Stephen hit the headlines with a first minute winning goal in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup at Leicester City, and in April 2004 aged just 17 he was handed a surprise League debut with a start in the match at leaders Doncaster Rovers.
He looked completely at home in that game but was unfortunate to be overlooked by both Herve Renard and Steve Thompson during United's relegation season, although he was again part of a title-winning youth team.
However Stephen played over 20 games last season under Rob Newman and signed his first professional contract in October 2005.
"Last season was a great one for me," he says. "It was really my first full season as a professional footballer and I was getting regular games at the beginning of the season, and having not played much the previous season it was good experience for me to be in and around the first team a bit more.
"Rob threw me in and I'm very grateful for that. It gave me valuable experience as a young lad, and to get that first pro contract was the icing on the cake."
Given the optimism at the end of last season and during the summer as Newman retained the nucleus of last season's squad, Stephen admits he is at a loss to explain why we made such a poor start to this season.
"Expectations were high and we had a really good pre-season, but things just didn't really get going. The first three games were against the newly-promoted sides and you have to pick up more than one point from those," he admits.
Beginning the season at right back because of the number of central midfield players at the club, Harlow-born Stephen recalls, "During pre-season Rob told me there was a space there at right back if I wanted to go for it and I thought if it meant being in the starting eleven then why not?
"I'll play wherever I'm put and it was an opportunity to play some first team games, and for the first few games it went quite well.
"But obviously teams change and Rob Newman was under a lot of pressure and I didn't maintain that position, but it was good experience under my belt. It was a new position to learn but centre midfield is my favourite position and it's where I feel at home."
Until the match at Woking, Stephen's chances were limited under new boss Jimmy Quinn, but he has enjoyed working with him and assistant manager Steve Castle.
"When the Gaffer first came in I wasn't in the team and I was a bit low on confidence, and I was a bit frustrated with myself because I wasn't performing how I wanted to and I wasn't getting in the squad.
"But the last month at CRC with Jez (George) and Nolan (Keeley) has been good and I owe them a lot for taking me on board at CRC, which has really helped my match fitness and I managed to put a couple of goals in for them too.
"I played my last game for CRC on the Tuesday and then the Gaffer told me on the Friday that I was in the team for Woking, which was great.
"It's been great to work with Steve Castle too," he continues. "He's always talking to people in training and it's great to have someone who's obviously played in my position and knows the game inside out. He's always giving advice and he's good in training."
On his comeback at Woking. Stephen reveals he was added to a five man midfield with instructions to get forward.
"The Gaffer told me get up and support the front two as much as possible because we had Ritchie sitting in there in front of the back three, so I had a licence to get forward and support Robbie and Danny, along with Rob Wolleaston, and I think it worked quite well.
"It was a solid first half performance from everyone and we went in with a clean sheet, and obviously came out and managed to get the win."
That win was United's third victory in four unbeaten away league games, but 'Smudger' is as puzzled as everyone else about the difference between our recent home and away form.
"It's the complete opposite of last season," he notes. "The Abbey was a hard place to come and get a result last season and we were pretty successful at home. All the lads seem very up for the away games and want to prove a point, but I don't know what it is about our home form so far this season."
Looking back on his month in the Ridgeon's League Premier Division, in which he captained the CRC side and helped to lift them off the foot of the table with three goals, Stephen feels his loan spell was of great benefit to him.
"The Conference is definitely a step up and played at a lot higher tempo but it was great to get some match fitness and be playing competitive games again; that was the main thing. The Ridgeon's League is a bit more physical, although the Conference can be very physical too, but it was good to get to know the young lads and working with Jez and Nolan, and they were really good to me."
Now, with over 30 senior games under his belt already, his aim is to try to stay in the side and try to help United move up the table.
"I worked hard on Saturday and came up with a goal so hopefully I'll keep my place, but all I can do is keep working hard in training and putting in performances in games when I get my chance.
"Saturday at Woking was brilliant for me and if I get the chance hopefully I can go in there and help the team and maybe score a few goals too."
He views the next month as an important period for Cambridge United and concludes, "The Christmas period is always massive with a lot of games in a short period of time and if we can get a good run going over Christmas things could really change and we could leapfrog up the league. So hopefully we can get a good little run going and get higher up the table."
My Favourite Game:
"It would still have to be my debut at Doncaster. I was 17 and playing in front of 10,000 people at their ground on the day they won the Division Three championship was a massive experience for me. That was my first real taste of the professional game and I loved every minute of it."
Andrea Thrussell
*This interview was first published in the programme for the match against Stafford on 19th December, 2006
Previous Featured Players:
11Jan07: Piers Wixon (scholar)
13Dec06: Phil Smith (scholar)
07Dec06: Danny Brown
23Nov06: Sam Cutler (scholar)
16Nov06: Robbie Simpson
02Nov06: Craig Bussens (scholar)
12Oct06: Michael Hyem (scholar)
06Oct06: Rob Wolleaston
25Sep06: Matt Kendrick (scholar)
20Sep06: Jon Brady
14Sep06: Mark Peters
11Sep06: Jordan Collins (scholar)
Last season's Featured Players:
16May06: Jon Brady
04May06: Tommy Jaszczun
26Apr06: David Bridges
20Apr06: Scott Howie
13Apr06: Craig Westcarr
22Mar06: Andy Duncan
15Mar06: David Bridges
01Feb06: David Chick
08Dec05: Michael Morrison
29Nov05: Ritchie Hanlon
25Oct05: Stephen Smith
05Oct05: Fola Onibuje
29Sep05: Mark Peters
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