With two goals to his credit already this season, defender Wayne Hatswell is already halfway to the number he contributed last season, but he is equally pleased by the number of clean sheets so far.
Like Danny Potter, Hats played for more than half of last season with a hernia problem but delayed the surgery until the end of the season. Despite that handicap and the increasing need for pain killers as the season drew to its exciting climax, his performances earned him a clean sweep of Player of the Year awards.
He admits it was a good campaign on a personal basis, although clearly overshadowed by a second successive Play-off final defeat: "Obviously we nearly won the league, which is what we all strive for, but it wasn't to be and we had to go through the heartache of losing at Wembley again.
"It's in the past now and we've got to try to move on, and I think we have to aim to win it this year because I don't want to go through the Wembley experience again! Although if we have to go through it again, of course we'll take it.
"With the fanbase we have here it was really special to get their recognition at the end of the season," he adds. "They support us home and away and it was nice for them to show that they thought I'd done quite well.
"We had a good season and a good defensive record so it was good to be part of that, although in the end we didn't succeed and get promotion."
Going under the knife the day after Wembley, Hats faced a summer of rest and rehab to be fit for the new season and he admits it has been a battle.
"I had a hernia problem for six months and it got worse as the season went on, as you'd expect. Towards the end of the season I needed painkillers to play and it affected my mental strength, but I had to keep digging in as the games got more and more important.
"I've paid the price for it through the summer and the start of this season because I lost a lot of my strength and I'm not getting younger so it takes a bit longer to get over an injury like that."
The hernia was the size of a thumbnail to begin with but by the end of the season it was four times the size so the surgery was quite invasive and took most of the summer to recover from.
"It set me back for the start of the season, which came a couple of weeks too early for me," Wayne admits. "We've been in a busy run of games but I'd like to think that I'm getting back to my old self and I'm feeling a lot stronger.
"I want to play for as long as I can and I've moved up here to a beautiful place in Lode, and my girlfriend has moved here too so that's cut the travelling that I was doing last season and I feel much better for it."
I was speaking to Wayne before last Tuesday's match at York, when we conceded the first two goals since the end of August, and he was justifiably pleased with six clean sheets in the previous seven games.
"It's my job to keep clean sheets and I hate it when goals go in against us, but we defend as a team so it's credit to the front men as well as us boys at the back and in midfield," he says.
"If we can make sure we're very hard to beat, then as soon as the opposition goes a goal behind they're going to wonder if they can get back into the game. So especially at home it's quite important to get that first goal because teams come here with a negative attitude and they could find it hard to come back at us.
"Hopefully our defensive record will hold us in good stead for the rest of the season but obviously you've got to keep your key personnel fit throughout the side."
For the second summer running Wayne experienced a change of manager during the summer and he is hoping for a period of stability now: "We've got a new manager on a long-term contract and we're taking little strides in the right direction, and hopefully we can keep that going and stay on track."
Having formed a solid partnership with Phil Bolland last season, Wayne started this campaign alongside Josh Coulson and is now forming a new partnership with former Leyton Orient defender Brian Saah.
"It can take time to get an understanding but Brian has settled in really well," he observes. "He's a quiet lad in the dressing room but he's only 22 and he goes about his business brilliantly, and hopefully we can get a good partnership.
"Obviously with Tonks coming back into the side as well and Glees being settled in his position we've got a settled defence like we did last year, and I hope we do as well as we did last season."
Up-and-coming centre half Josh Coulson told us last season about the help and advice he receives from Wayne, and the 34-year-old regards helping the youngsters as part of his role.
"I try and help them along and sometimes I give them a bit of stick - and they probably think I shout at them a bit too much! - but we have some good young players here. Some of them are playing at the moment and some are waiting for their chance; Josh is probably feeling that he will have to bide his time again but it's all a learning process for him, hopefully on his way to better things.
"There will probably be a lot of clubs looking at the young boys we have here, with the likes of Sam Ives coming through as well and scoring a couple of goals already. There's a good opportunity in the game for youngsters to earn some good money and make a good career and I try to help them with advice, but it comes down to the individuals to try to improve and work hard.
"The gaffer has played and managed at a higher level and he will be passing on a lot of experience too and hopefully the future is bright for the club. I want to be here at Cambridge United and to be part of a team that does well and gets this club back up into the Football League."
Having failed at Wembley in the last two seasons, Wayne would prefer to win the league outright but knows that we will have to start by performing well against the other sides near the top: "The division has been getting stronger each year but even the teams at the bottom will make it very difficult for you.
"I can see there being a sort of a mini-league at the top this season and hopefully we can win it, but to do that we'll need to beat the teams around us.
"We've got some very good players here and we've kept the nucleus of the side together from last season, so if we all stay sound I think we can be a hard team to beat and no one will relish a game against Cambridge United."
--- 20 Questions ---
What person has had the most positive influence on your career so far?
My Dad - I always take his opinion on board and when times are tough the people closest to you are always there for you.
Who's the best Captain you have played with?
Chris Hope at Rushden - a model pro who goes about his business quietly and effectively.
The best player you've played with and against?
'With' would be Andy Linighan at Oxford; coming to the end of his career but still a good player. 'Against' would be Paul Scholes when I was at Oxford and we played Man United in a friendly; he never gave the ball away.
Out of all the players who have left United since you've been at the Club who were you saddest to see go?
Mark Albrighton - he was my travelling partner and a bit of a joker, and always good to have around the place. I've known him a long time and we stay in touch.
What player/team did you admire growing up and why?
Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish were my favourites growing up, and Jan Molby who I ended up playing for at Kidderminster.
What's the funniest terrace chant you've ever heard?
I played with a striker called Bo Henriksen at Kidderminster who had long blond hair, and he used to get "Where's your caravan?" sung at him.
Are there any other sports at which you might have gone on to make it as a professional?
I was good at most sports and I've got into squash lately, and I'd like to play more of that when I finish playing football.
Your top three sportsmen/women of all time?
Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen, Steven Gerrard.
What's your favourite meal and drink?
Thai food, and a Krona when I'm allowed a drink.
What was the last album you bought?
A Ministry of Sound compilation
What was the last film you went to see?
Transformers II
What car do you drive?
A BMW 1-series
Where is the furthest you have travelled to on holiday?
Hamilton Island, Australia.
In training, does anyone fancy themselves in a completely different position to their normal matchday role?
Glees thinks he can play up front - but his goal tally suggests otherwise! We've got a bet going this season about which of us will score most goals.
Out of all the players you have played with, who has/had the worst sense of style?
I'm not going to name names but someone wore pink shorts into training this summer - you know who you are!
Which Cambridge United player would you least like to be stuck in a lift with, and why?
None of them - I like them all too much!
Which United player past or present would you 'set up' for a 'Beadle's About' stunt, and what would it entail?
Mark Albrighton because he could easily lose his rag. It would be something to do with road rage, but he can take a joke too and his reaction would be good.
Where is the best place on Earth, and why?
Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island, Australia - absolute paradise!
What is the one piece of advice you would give a young player?
Never give up, and always try to improve every day. Even at my age I want to improve and you're always learning, both in life and in football.
What's the very best thing about football?
Winning. It breeds confidence and there's no better feeling because it affects so many other people than yourself.
Andrea Thrussell
web@cambridge-united.co.uk
This interview was also published in the programme for the match against Luton Town on Saturday 26th September 2009.
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