Adam Tann

In another season where he has been asked to play everywhere across the back line and also in midfield, Adam Tann has again proved to be Cambridge United's Mr Consistent.

We started the interview by talking about the atmosphere ten days ago against Wycombe Wanderers, when football supporters from all over the country arrived at the Abbey Stadium to show their support for the U's and were rewarded by an exciting football match and an upset as the bottom club U's dented the Chairboys' play-off hopes.

"It was a great atmosphere and it certainly made a difference with the fans coming down from the other clubs," recalls Adam. "You could tell in the warm-up how much louder it was and the fans were getting right behind us, so it boosted us as we got ready for the game.

"It was a massive win for us. Wycombe came with the best away record and it was hard and we had to dig in, but we got the result we desperately needed."

The game saw a goal apiece from United's new-look strike force of Iwan Roberts and Tes Bramble - on-loan from today's opponents, Southend - and made it two goals in two games for Bramble and two in three for former Norwich City star Roberts.

"It's brilliant to see the two new lads coming in and scoring," Adam agreed. "Tes scored his second goal - and what a goal it was - and you expect goals from Iwan because he's a great player, so it's brilliant to see they're making a contribution to the team."

Bramble's goal has already been hailed as United's goal of the season and one of the best ever seen at the Abbey, although Adam admits "From my angle I was right behind it and when he had a go I thought 'what's he doing?' because it looked like it was just flying into row Z.

"But then all of a sudden it got some swerve and dip on it and rocketed into the top corner. Fair play to him, it was a great strike and a great goal."

Fakenham-born 'Tanny' was raised in a county of Norwich City supporters and he was already well aware of Iwan Roberts' ability and reputation.

"Without question he's brought great experience to the whole team, especially to the strikers, and it's what we needed," he stresses. "He's got the experience and he's got the ability still and I believe he could still be playing for Gillingham in the Championship, but he's done so well for us and he's definitely brought us something extra up front."

Reflecting on a season that began with so much optimism, but saw Herve Renard lose his job when he was unable to replicate the spirit and performances of the last eight games of last season, Adam admits, "As a team collectively this has been a disappointing season because we shouldn't be where we are.

"Personally I started off playing all over the place again - right-back, left-back, centre-back, midfield - which can either work for you or against you, but in the last couple of months I've been settled at the back in the middle where I think I'm best and it's been going well."

One of the quiet men of the squad, he copes with the pressure and demands of a relegation battle by trying not to think or talk about football in his spare time.

"I'm quite a relaxed person anyway so I just chill out and spend time with friends and take my mind off football. I think that's what you have to do.

"When you're in training and with the guys it's all focused on football, and once you're away from it you have to stay away from football, especially with the pressure of the situation we're in, otherwise I think you'd go a little bit mad!"

Moving onto a question the 22-year-old must be asked in every interview, and always answers with good humour, he states, "I've always said my favourite position is definitely the centre of defence. That's where I feel most comfortable and that's where I always played as a youngster and for the youth team.

"So that's where I feel most comfortable and I just hope I can settle there. The new manager has come in and put me there and told me to get in with it. Once you're settled and you know what position you're playing it gives you a different mindset because you can concentrate on that, and hopefully that's shown in the games. I think me and Duncs have done quite well and I'm just pleased to be playing quite well."

Coached by two former top-flight defenders in Steve Thompson and Rob Newman, it is not surprising that the team has looked more organised and solid in recent weeks and Adam thinks that is the biggest change under the new manager.

"It was well-documented that what went astray a little bit was the organisation, which has been tightened up. The new manager has said on many occasions that we needed organisation and that's what we've got. He's put a little bit more steel into the team and that's basically what we needed, and of late it's showed in the games.

"The manager was a defender, and Rob Newman had a great career as a defender as well, especially at Norwich, so that's given some extra help to the defenders."

Adam also speaks highly of Matt Somner, a defender whose loan from Brentford was made into a permanent transfer by Thompson and who now fills the holding role in midfield.

"Personally I think he's been brilliant since he came in," he says.

"He's another versatile player who can play at the back and in midfield, and he's gone into midfield and brought that extra bit of steel and grit that you need in this division, because unfortunately it's not all pretty football.

"You have to have that passion and drive and the effectiveness in there to really battle hard, and that's what he brings to us. He's a massive help to the defenders, breaking up play, and I think he's been brilliant."

Ending with the $64 million question, 'Can we stay up?', Adam doesn't pretend to know the answer.

"That is the big question that's on everyone's lips and no one as yet can have the answer to it," he smiles.

"I think the Easter weekend is going to be massive for everyone. It's two games in four days and I think it will decide our fate and everyone else's fate, but we'll have to wait and see."

Andrea Thrussell

In The Hot Seat

Tanny answers some questions from supporters:

DaveS asks:
Adam, will you stay if we go down?

That's a very difficult question to answer. I'll have to wait until the end of the season to evaluate every option I have, but my main focus is keeping this club in the League and that's all that's all I want to concentrate on at the moment.

'Kitson4England' asks:
Adam, you've been captain a few times now, would you see yourself as a future skipper of the U's?

I'd like to see myself in the future becoming captain of this club, but as it stands I'm just concentrating on playing and, as I said, concentrating on keeping the club in the League.

CUFC4Ever asks:
Do you think that you'll be able to play in the Premiership before the end of your career?

Everyone has their ambitions to play as high as they can. You can never say 'never' but unfortunately there is a massive gap between the Premiership and where we are and the standard I'm playing at, but I'd just like to play as high as I can in my career and who knows where that may be?

Keith Anderson asks:
Adam, does the fact that my son Callum sponsors your boot laces put an extra spring in your step?

Yes definitely! As soon as I heard the news that my boot laces have been sponsored by Callum it definitely boosted me.

Trackside asks:
Do you still have the home movie of Freddie Mercury on your phone? ('I Want To Break Free', Indian restaurant, Newmarket)

(laughs) No comment!

Tolly asks:
Adam, have you ever thought about having a nose job?

(laughs) I know who this is. Thanks very much Tolly, and I'm quite content with my nose. It may be a little on the large side but it'll do for me.

Mustard asks:
As one of the longest-serving players at Cambridge United, what's your take on the support that United get from the fans?

It's been hard for the fans this season because unfortunately we haven't kept up to the standards we should have, and being at the bottom of the league you expect the fans to be disappointed, just as we are. We need the fans to stay with us and right behind us and I think the majority of them have.

It was pleasing to see the crowd we got, albeit with other fans, against Wycombe and hopefully if we can keep getting the results the fans will stay behind us, because that's exactly what we need.

Lionel asks:
Who is, or are, your favourite partners in defence?

That's a tricky one because they all bring different elements to help me out. Andy Duncan has got the experience and we seem to be quite settled there at the moment so I'm pleased to be playing alongside him. Warren Goodhind is a great talker and a great organiser to have alongside you as well, so probably those two have been my most settled partners.

Lionel also asks:
What do you think of the youngsters coming into the side, such as Dan Gleeson and Darren Quinton?

They've both done brilliantly. Unfortunately they've come into a side that hasn't been doing so well in the league but Dan Gleeson's done brilliantly this season at right-back and settled in really well.

Quints, for his size and how slight he is at the moment, certainly puts himself about and he's a great footballer. Give him a couple of years maybe to fill out a bit and we'll probably see the best of him.

CUFCrdabest asks:
Do you have any superstitions before a match?

Not really. I do the same routine before every match but that's just a routine, not a superstition. I suppose the one thing I do at games is when I warm up I have to have a rugby top on all the time, which is a bit strange but that's how I am.

Barrow Amber asks:
Saturday's 'Fans United' day was a great day for the fans and for the club, and all the support we got from fans of other clubs made a lot of us feel quite emotional and humble. How did it make you feel, and the rest of your team-mates?

It was brilliant. It was really nice to see people from other clubs coming down and giving their support. It shows that football can be united and it was really nice, and we're glad that we gave everyone something else to smile at with a win so it was a great weekend all round

*A shorter version of this interview appeared in the programme for the match against Southend on 28th March, 2005.

Previous Featured Players:
23Apr05: Iwan Roberts
10Apr05: Stuart Bimson
17Mar05: Matt Somner
09Mar05: Daniel Chillingworth
24Feb05: Dan Gleeson
17Feb05: Shane Tudor
14Feb05: Richard Hodgson
07Feb05: Warren Goodhind
22Dec04: Darren Quinton
06Dec04: Andy Duncan
24Nov04: John Ruddy
22Oct04: Kingsley Mbome
13Oct04: Jermaine Easter
17Sep04: Justin Walker
09Sep04: John Turner
26Aug04: Luke Guttridge

Last season's Featured Players:
21May04: Your Players of the Year 2003/04
14May04: Ryan Lockett & Stephen Smith
06May04: Matt Robinson
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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