Former Ipswich trainee Matt Robinson made his full U's debut in the draw at Mansfield last month, but his journey here is an example of how hard it has become for professional footballers to find a new club.

Speaking first about the last gasp 1-1 draw at high-flying Mansfield, Matt is delighted to have made his full League debut.

"I thought it went really well. It was a good result for starters, and I played for about an hour before I started getting really tired because I haven't played for a while. There haven't been any reserve games and my match fitness wasn't there so I think Brooksie could see I was struggling a bit with my fitness and he brought me off because of that.

"But it was good to make my full debut and hopefully I can kick on from there."

He played in midfield in that game, which he admits is a slightly deeper role than he is used to. "I played there a couple of times at Ipswich but it's not my favourite position; I'm more of a wide player. On Saturday we didn't get a lot of the ball and couldn't get it down and pass it, which is my game, but we were defending for a lot of the game. I did have Luke and Justin in there helping me and telling me what to do, so they were good."

Asked to describe himself for the benefit of supporters who have not seen him play, he replies, "My preferred position is out wide on either side, and I like to get on the ball and run at people and beat them. I'm two-footed so I can play on either wing."

Matt, who turned 20 last month, arrived at Cambridge United via a circuitous route as he tried to earn a contract with a League club. He came through the ranks at Ipswich Town but, as he explains, his chances of a contract at Portman Road were wrecked by injury.

"I did a three year scholarship at Ipswich and towards the end of my third year - it was a year ago last month - I broke my leg playing in a youth team game. Because my contract was up in that summer Joe Royle, the Ipswich manager, gave me a three month extension to my contract to get myself fit and get myself going again. But it got to August and I wasn't playing full games, I was still struggling for fitness and my leg wasn't feeling 100%, so I got released at the end of September."

So began a tale that shows how hard it is for players to find a new club when money is so rare outside the top flight.

"I spoke to a few people about where I could go and went to Wrexham at the beginning of October for two weeks," Matt continues. "That went really well and I didn't do anything wrong, but they said to me at the end of the two weeks that they couldn't afford to offer me a contract because they haven't got any money.

"Then at the end of October I went to Derby for two weeks and it was funny because I played a reserve game for them at Ipswich. I played up front and played really well - we won 1-0 and I scored the goal - and it was a really enjoyable game against all my old mates at Ipswich and to score the winning goal was fantastic.

"The training for the week before the game had gone really well too, and I was buzzing in training with the first team, but George Burley, the Derby manager, rang me a couple of days after the reserve game at Ipswich and I thought he was going to offer me a contract, but it was completely the opposite. He said they couldn't offer me a contract and that was really, really disappointing. I couldn't believe it."

He moved on to second division Bournemouth at the beginning of November but suffered more bad luck there: "After ten minutes in my first reserve game I fell over on my hand and fractured and dislocated my finger, so I had to stay overnight in Bournemouth and have an operation on my finger because they couldn't get it back in place, then came back home on the train.

"They said to me I could go back any time once I was fit and they called me on New Year's Eve and said they were struggling for players, so they said to go down there a week earlier than scheduled and I was going to be on the bench for the first team that weekend.

"I went down there for a month and I was on the bench for the first team once, against Barnsley, and again it was really weird because I did really well but at the end of two weeks they said 'at the moment we still can't offer you anything' so they said to stay for another couple of weeks.

"At the end of that time they said if I hadn't got injured the first time I was there they would have offered me a contract, but now they had two players coming back after injury and playing so they didn't offer me a contract there.

"It's so hard to get a contract these days," he adds. "No one's got any money."

Matt's next call was to John Taylor and he was offered the chance to join the U's for a month on a non-contract basis at the beginning of February. After being named on the bench for six games he made his debut from the bench in the memorable 4-3 win at Darlington last month.

Although he must have wondered if the change of manager would affect his fortunes here, Matt was handed his full debut at Mansfield last weekend and he is thoroughly enjoying his time at the Abbey Stadium.

"The lads here are quality, I get on really well with them and the staff, especially Brooksie," he says. "I knew Brooksie when I was about 13 at Ipswich and he was the first one to welcome me in the dressing room when I got here."

On the recent change of management, he adds, "Herve's got a lot of good ideas. He doesn't speak a lot of English but if the lads don't understand what he's saying Brooksie's always there to help out, and we're really enjoying it.

"It has been hard. Last week we were having double sessions and there's been a lot of running and we've been doing a lot of work on our stomachs, so it is hard work but it's all good for us.

"His first game in charge was a win so that was great. I think there was a little bit of a lack of confidence because we weren't getting the wins we needed and when the new manager came in everything changed. He told us we weren't confident and I think the lads just took it on from there.

"The mood in the changing room is really good and the lads are fully confident now that we can get the results we need. We've played well and got four points from the last two games and hopefully we can get another three against York. They're down the bottom with us and they've got a game in hand too so we need the win."

Matt is currently on month-to-month terms but he obviously hopes to earn a contract with the U's and concludes, "Hopefully I'll have played a few games by the end of the season and Herve and Brooksie will be impressed by what they've seen and give me a contract."

"The Quick Fire Round"

If you were on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' and had to phone a friend, which team-mate would you choose?

Warren. I think he's the most intelligent in the team.

Favourite holiday destination, and describe why in one word.

Florida. Weather.

If you weren't a footballer, what would your job be now?

An astronaut!

Who do you go to for financial advice?

My Mum and Dad.

What will you be doing in ten years' time?

Hopefully playing in as high a league as possible.

Who is your best mate in the squad?

I can't really single anyone out because they're all good lads.

Who has the best dress sense in the squad?

Luke.

And who has the worst?

Marshy. I sit next to him in the dressing room and he's got some terrible shirts!

In a film of your life story who would you want to play you and why?

John Travolta. Good actor.

Porsche or Ferrari?

Ferrari.

Indian or Chinese?

Indian.

Beer or lager?

Neither. I don't drink.

Boxers or briefs?

Boxers.

If you were given tickets for a gig, who would you want to see and why?

Justin Timberlake. He's an absolute legend and he can dance for fun.

Three words your team-mates might use to describe you?

Quiet. Honest. Flash.

*A shorter version of this interview appeared in the programme for the match against York on 9th April, 2004.

You can hear the full interview with Matt on our U's World multimedia website. Click here for details about U's World.

Previous Featured Players this season:
21Apr04: Dan Gleeson
07Apr04: Jermaine Easter
31Mar04: Ashley Nicholls
12Mar04: Alex Revell
04Mar04: David Bridges
20Feb04: Fred Murray
13Feb04: Daniel Webb
02Feb04: Daniel Chillingworth
19Jan04: Shaun Marshall
04Jan04: Adam Tann
29Dec03: Gareth Williams
23Dec03: Franco Nacca
18Dec03: Shane Tudor
11Dec03: Andy Duncan
04Dec03: Stevland Angus
28Nov03: John Turner
21Nov03: Luke Guttridge
29Oct03:  Stuart Bimson
21Sep03: Warren Goodhind
21Aug03: Dave Kitson
13Aug03: Justin Walker

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