Stephen Reed was one of Jimmy Quinn's new signings in the summer and he has already established himself as a fixture in the U's squad, playing a number of important roles.

Barnstable-born Stephen first became involved in professional football at Yeovil Town when he left school. He was offered a trial with the then-Conference club and joined as a scholar, combining football training with a course at a local college for two years before earning a professional contract.

Yeovil manager at that time was Gary Johnson, a man well-known here at the Abbey Stadium following his time here, not only as assistant manager to John Beck but also as head of the youth development scheme, and two spells as manager - once as caretaker in 1992 before the appointment of Ian Atkins and then in his own right between 1993 and 1995.

"He was really good to work with," recalls Stephen. "A really good manager and a nice chap as well, and he knows the ins and outs of the game. He was manager of Latvia before going to Yeovil."

It was a good time to be at Yeovil as they achieved promotion from the Conference, then narrowly missed out on a second consecutive promotion but won the division the following season.

Stephen made nine league appearances in his time at Yeovil, including a memorable first start: "I got sent off on my full debut at Bury for two yellow cards. I was only 18 and a bit hyped up making my full debut, and Gary Johnson said to me afterwards 'that's one way to remember your debut!'"

During his time on Yeovil's books he also had loan spells at Forest Green (where U's number 2 Alan Lewer was manager at the time), Woking, Aldershot and Torquay United. The latter loan, at the end of the 2005-06 season, became a permanent transfer in the summer and he went on to make 15 league appearances for Torquay last season, but the move turned into a nightmare.

"Ian Atkins had signed me but he left, then the chairman left, then a new chairman and manager came in, then that chairman left and the manager left, and by then the place was in a mess and I was thinking 'I've got to get out of here'.

"Then Colin Lee came in but the team was struggling in a relegation battle and it was a fight in every match - not at all enjoyable. I had my contract paid up but I couldn't sign for anyone else because the window was closed so I ended up playing the last four or five games for Weston-Super-Mare. I was still training full-time because I went to Weymouth and played a few reserve games for them."

Weymouth manager Jason Tindall had told Stephen that he wanted to sign him, but he had heard nothing by the time Alan Lewer called and asked him to sign for Cambridge United, and he adds, "It's all worked out quite well."

Although the 22-year-old admits that sometimes he would like to be closer to home and family, he adds, "It's good to be around the club and the lads are great. I'm living with Mark Convery and Scotty Rendell and that helps, because they're both away from home and in the same boat. I'd like to get home a bit more often but my parents come up a lot and I'm fairly settled in Cambridge now."

On the football front, he is delighted with the way the move has worked out, saying, "We had a good start by beating York and Oxford in two tough games, we've got a great team spirit, and whatever position I'm playing I just want to be out there and helping the lads to carry on winning.

"It was disappointing to lose at Kidderminster because we created enough chances to win four games, but there are a lot of positives to come out of that game and we just need to carry that on, starting today.

"If we don't win games we tend to draw them, so hopefully we can kick on again after losing last week - it didn't really feel like a defeat because we were all over them but just couldn't score. If we go 1-0 up, sometimes we tend to sit back and let teams come at us, but when we go behind it's as though we don't know we're beaten and we get back into the game and create chances."

Although he has spent most of his career as a left-back, Stephen's versatility means he has been a regular in the side this season and has played several games in midfield.

"Coming from Yeovil and Torquay, and having been on loan to a few Conference teams, I hoped I'd fit in well. To be fair, I got my chance in the team and kept doing well, and when we're winning it's hard to change a winning team.

"Playing in midfield is something new for me," he adds. "Someone said to me once that I could play anywhere and I ought to give it a go, but I've usually played at left back up to now. I don't mind playing in midfield although I feel a bit sorry for the players who are central midfielders when they're on the bench, but as long as I'm out there somewhere on the pitch I don't mind where."

With a superb left foot and delivery from set pieces, Stephen has been increasingly responsible for taking corners and free kicks, and it was from a free kick that he notched his first senior goal, the equaliser at Burton Albion last month.

"Everyone has to work on their individual attributes and we work hard on our set piece routines, and I was really pleased to see that one go in, even if it was deflected. Now I want to score again," he states.

Like the other players who joined in the summer, Reedy found the pre-season week in Army barracks beneficial: "When you go to a new club you don't really know any of the lads, so it was really nice to go away somewhere and bond and get to know everyone, and it obviously wasn't a bad thing for us because we've only lost two games so far."

We also asked Stephen some questions from supporters on the club Message Board at cambridgeunited.com, starting with one from Simon who asks: "Having tasted league football with Torquay and Yeovil, do you think this Cambridge United squad is good enough to play at the next level?"

Stephen: "Yes, I think we will get promotion, whether it's this season or next, and I think we would easily hold our ground in League Two and possibly even push on again, like Yeovil did. Cambridge United is a big club and hopefully we can get back up there soon."

Robert from Cambridge asks: "The midfield needs to start weighing in with its share of the goals. Has your strike at Burton given you the taste for goal?"

Stephen: "I was getting a bit of stick from the Gaffer and 'Andy' Lewer and a few of the lads, asking me when I was going to score, so now I've done it I'd like to go on and score a few more. I haven't set myself a target because I thought I'd be playing more in defence, but it would be nice to get something like five or so."

Jerry from Cambridge asks: "Reedy - you joined as a left back but given the system have been playing mostly as a midfielder - what is your preferred position and had you played much midfield before coming to the U's?"

Stephen: "We don't play with four at the back so I thought I might be playing in the left wingback position or in centre midfield, but as long as I get on the ball and have a few shots at goal I don't really mind where I'm playing."

Penelope asks: "Who do you think has the biggest influence in the team?"

Stephen: "When Mark Albrighton and Danny Brown are playing they talk a lot, and so do Mark Peters and Mark Convery. We could probably do with more players who do that but you can't help whether you're a natural talker or not."

Penelope also asks: "Are you going to be able to see your family at Christmas?"

Stephen: "Not on Christmas Day but hopefully on Boxing Day. It depends on the fixtures and training."

Penelope also wants to know: "Will you be signing your second year option?"

Stephen: "The Gaffer has spoken to me about a new contract but whether it happens or not it's a bit too soon to know."

Dave Stacey asks: "Why is it that during the warm-up before each home game, you fail to wear your bib properly, usually holding it in your hands?"

Stephen: "I do usually wear it, but Ollie the kit man has a lot of jobs to do and sometimes if they haven't been washed they're a bit smelly and I can't put it on."

Dave also asks: "You received some abuse from Torquay fans earlier in the season - how does that affect your mindset? Does it spur you on or make you wish you were somewhere else?"

Stephen: "It was nice to go down there and see a few of the players who were there when I was there, but if you do get a bit of stick during games then if anything it spurs me on and makes me want to show them. And at the end of the day they can say what they like but we got the three points!"

Oli Worth asks: "Despite being just 22, Cambridge United is your eighth club, albeit most of these were on loan. Did you become disillusioned at never really getting settled at any of these clubs or getting a spell in the first team? And do you think that your recent run in the first team has contributed to improved and more consistent performances?"

Stephen: "When I was at Yeovil I was learning my trade and going out on loan was part of that, and it did me the world of good. But now I feel I've learned my trade and I feel settled and I like it here, and I think we can win something here.

"Obviously I try to be as consistent as I can and if we're winning games then it's enjoyable. If we were just mid-table and not really going anywhere then it wouldn't be as exciting and we'd just be plodding along, but obviously we're fourth and we have the target of getting promoted or into the play-offs so there's something to play for every game and it means something."

Oli also asks: "Finally, how much are you and the rest of the squad looking forward to the FA Cup match at Wolves? Do you really believe we can get a favourable result, and how important do you think it is in the context of the rest of the season?"

Stephen: "With all these cup games coming up we could make the club some money and we want to try and get the name of Cambridge United out there and hopefully do well. Obviously we've got important games before we go to Wolves, but hopefully we can beat Histon and win our other games and go there on a high."

Fred asks: "How does playing at Cambridge compare to playing for a league club like Yeovil?"

Stephen: "There's not much difference really. The main difference in the Conference is that the ball is in the air more than it is in League One, and Darryl Knights would probably tell you the same. But the Gaffer wants us to play and get the ball down and do things quickly, and I don't see any reason why Cambridge United can't be in League Two if not League One."

Fred also asks: "Who has the worst dress sense in the team?"

Stephen: (laughs) "Have I really got to answer that? Probably Danny Potter, he wears things like three-quarter length jeans on a rainy day."

Finally, asked for his thoughts and aims for the rest of the season, United's number 3 concludes, "Apart from that game at home to Aldershot in the league, when they were on top of us in the second half, no one has really made us stop and think that they're better than us.

"For the fans we want to turn Histon over and then try and do well in the FA Cup, but apart from that we just want to be up there by March and April and hopefully get promoted at the end of the season.

"There's a long way to go but the first half of the season has gone by really quick and we've drawn a few games that we should have won, like Ebbsfleet, Weymouth, Halifax at home and Stafford away. We probably should have won those games.

"We've beaten the hard teams like Stevenage and Torquay and Burton, and we need to make sure we pick up wins against the other teams and keep it going."

Andrea Thrussell
web@cambridge-united.co.uk

*An edited version of this interview was published in the programme for the match against King's Lynn on Saturday 15th December, 2007

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