Chris Vessey continues his introduction to the clubs we will meet during our first season in the Football Conference.

A guide to the National Conference teams Cambridge United will be facing this year.

HALIFAX TOWN - 'The Shaymen'

Halifax Town can fully sympathise with the situation we ourselves found ourselves in at the end of the season. After some disastrous financial decision-making by the Board, Halifax found themselves penniless, in administration and heading for relegation out of the League for the second time in 2002 (the first time a club has ever being relegated twice to the Conference) and new boss Chris Wilder must have wondered what he'd let himself in for when he found he only had one contracted player to work with.

Within weeks of the season starting, Wilder had to make some hasty signings that would compete in the Conference, and luckily for them they did. A solid 8th place finish was revered by the Shay faithful, who then looked promisingly towards the future. Sadly, the following season nothing went right for Halifax, finishing 19th and suffering 10 straight defeats towards the end of that season. Amazingly the club kept faith with Wilder who led the Shaymen charge to the heady heights of 3rd for most of the following season before cruel injury blows to key players and a lack of a killer instinct saw the Yorkshire club just miss out on the play offs.

This pre-season Wilder has signed more experience than youth by bringing in Wayne Jacobs and Peter Atherton from Bradford, and Gary Brabin on a free, a player who once commanded a six figure fee at Blackpool. Shaymen fans are quick to remind us the highlight of their season last time out was a 3-1 victory over Cambridge United in the First Round of the FA Cup.

HEREFORD UNITED - 'The Bulls'

Our first opponents at The Abbey this season - and in front of the Sky cameras - are Hereford United, who will be looking to put play-off disappointment behind them by winning the Conference outright, a feat manager Graham Turner is confident of after building a strong positive team over the last few years.

After relegation in 1997, United have faced a long road of rebuilding in the Conference and for the last few years, they have become the 'nearly men' by seeming to fall at the final hurdle. The last two seasons have seen The Bulls finish second behind Champions Chester and then Barnet, only to crash and burn in the play-offs, firstly on penalties to Aldershot, then to a shock defeat to surprise team Stevenage, losing out 1-0 on their own Edgar Street turf. Turner (who is also chairman at Hereford) has decided young fresh faces are the way forward and has released ageing former League players Lee Mills and Graham Hyde, bringing in Dean Beckwith from the Gills, Alex Jeannin and Jon Brady from respective Conference rivals Exeter and Stevenage.

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS - 'The Harriers'

The Harriers arrive back in the Conference after a five year stint in the Football League. Kiddy were stalwarts of the Conference for 17 years before winning the title and promotion in 2000 led by ex-Liverpool legend Jan Molby. They had already been denied promotion to the League six years previously when their ground was not up to Football League standard.

Before last year Jan Molby had led Kiddy to a comfortable life in League 2 as they looked more like promotion candidates than relegation fodder. But as the bank balance began to falter, so did Kiddy's aim to attract and keep their better players. As soon as star player Bo Henriksen among others left Kidderminster the club began a slippery slide down the table.

Midway through last season Jan Molby decided his time was up and resigned, to be replaced by ex-Mansfield chief Stuart Watkiss. Watkiss couldn't keep the Aggborough side up but managed to keep hold of his job and is allowed to rebuild the Harriers for the future. The key feature of pre-season news has been a boardroom wrangle as Chairman Colin Youngjohns has stepped down to allow new investor Barry Norgrove and his 'Aggborough Holdings' consortium take over. This has allowed Watkiss to break the shackles and has made some interesting signings that could see his side push for the play offs. Watkiss has identified experience as the best approach by signing 'keeper Wayne Evans, midfield duo Terry Fleming and Martin O'Connor and Exeter's Gareth Sheldon.

MORECAMBE - 'The Shrimpers'

Most people following the Shrimpers for the last ten years in the Conference will be surprised that Morecambe have not progressed better than their finishing positions. Only twice they have finished outside the top nine and even finished second two years ago, but crashed out in the newly formed play-offs. For years, manager Jim Harvey has relied on local young talent and has rarely splashed out for 'big money' players, preferring to keep a tight restraint on finances.

The seaside club usually rely on their excellent home form to help them progress, as not many teams enjoy the long trip to the wind and rain lashed Christie Park, so much so that The Shrimpers knocked Cambridge United out of the FA Cup when we were settled in the old Division 2, back in 1999. Unsurprisingly, Morecambe have not made any signings this pre-season but have four first team regulars back to full fitness after they all missed large chunks of last season with long term injuries.

Despite the lack of signings, boss Harvey is confident his team will at least finish in the play offs, claiming the team have the best backbone of any team in the league, he's identified defenders Jim Bentley and David Perkins, midfielder Garry Hunter and strikers Danny Carlton and Michael Twiss will be too much for the majority of Conference National teams.

SCARBOROUGH - 'The Seadogs'

'Boro are yet another Conference team we've played in the FA Cup in recent years, though we actually disposed of The Seadogs after a replay in the first round three years ago. Scarborough had their own FA Cup dream draw the following season, when big spending Premiership outfit Chelsea made a fleeting visit to the picturesque McCain Stadium. 'Boro have had their fair share of ups and downs over the years, as they were relegated to the Conference due to the famous Jimmy Glass goalkeeper's last minute goal that kept Carlisle up in the very last minute of the last game of the season.

Despite finishing fourth in their first season in the non league, Scarboro' have struggled to make a major impact, instead settling for mid table obscurity. Things seemed to be looking up for the Yorkshire club last season when the financial monies earned from the Chelsea game allowed the club to keep hold of their brightest stars. But then manager Russ Slade moved onto Grimsby, leaving former player Nick Henry to take over. 'Boro's away form let them down severely, losing to relegation threatened sides regularly, but then also proudly held the record of being undefeated at home for the whole season.

Chairman Malcolm Reynolds is a very outspoken character who is never short of a word or two if something upsets him. His recent blasts have been aimed at agents and former player Scott Kerr, where Reynolds went as far as revealing exactly what he paid Kerr over the past year and claiming he had no sense of loyalty or one bit of decency! Unsurprisingly Kerr left for Lincoln and wasn't the only departure, having also seen Griff Jones, Colin Cryan and Mark Hotte all leave after being asked to take pay cuts. Nick Henry has re-signed striker Mark Quayle and ex-Darlo man Ian Clark, but Henry has pleaded for more trialists as time is running out for him to fill his squad rota. It's looking like 'Boro fans will be settling for yet another mid table effort this year.

SOUTHPORT - 'The Sandgrounders'

Southport fans and players will be delighted at their side's return to the Conference after a two year absence, as the Sandgrounders were one of the most consistent in the Conference before their shock relegation, which was even more of a surprise when you consider they travelled to Hereford in late November, winning 2-0 to see them sat fourth in the table, only three points behind leaders Yeovil. Then only two wins in the last 24 games saw the Mersey club plummet to the final relegation spot.

After a year of rebuilding in the Unibond Premier, manager Liam Watson pushed his team to the limit with a harsh training regime and it paid off with Southport winning the Conference North after crushing Harrogate Town 5-2 on the last day of the season. Many of the plaudits went to striker Terry Fearns, who smashed home 35 goals on their march to the title. Watson has a low budget as his team remain part time, and has only added Matty McGinn and Dominique Krief from Runcorn and Harrogate respectively. The Sandgrounders are expected to struggle, along with fellow part-timers FGR, Canvey and Altrincham, but if Terry Fearns can keep his scoring form going, Southport could finish comfortably mid-table.

STEVENAGE BOROUGH - 'The Boro'

Our nearest rivals for next season, Stevenage have had a very colourful life in the Conference. Last year they reached the play-off final and were defeated by Carlisle, they once put the Conference on the map by taking Premiership Newcastle to a stormy replay in the FA Cup, they have once been denied entry to the Football League due to their stadium faults, which ironically were ironed out before they won the league, yet failed to meet the bizarre Christmas deadline to get the ground sorted, and they persuaded the 'Mourinho of non league' Graham Westley to leave Farnborough and join Stevenage, ripping apart the Farnboro' team by bringing no less than seven of the squad to Broadhall Way with him.

Westley is a famous name in the Conference, he's the manager people love to hate, never short of an opinion and often makes bizarre predictions about him and his team. He has often described himself as the 'best and most talented manager in Non League' and loves to point out many faults in opposition managers and teams. Despite his boasts, Westley has done an excellent job at Stevenage, who were in danger of slipping further down the non league pyramid. 'Boro were 14th in October after a 4-1 home thrashing by Canvey Island when they then embarked on a run of just seven defeats in thirty games as they just nicked into the last play-off spot after a final day victory over Leigh, just pipping Morecambe at the post.

Westley has been quiet during the off-season, only signing 'keeper Shane Gore, but he will be on the lookout for a new striker after top scorer Anthony Elding handed in a transfer request after a disagreement with Westley.

TAMWORTH - 'The Lambs'

This tiny Midlands club defied the odds yet again to stay up and survive comfortably despite being hot favourites for the drop in only their second ever Conference season. This season sees no change as the experts have tipped Tamworth for the drop again, seemingly ignoring the part-time yet talented squad that player-manager Mark Cooper is building.

Cooper took the reins of the club after Darren Gee resigned due to 'irreconcilable differences' with the board. Gee had taken the club from the lower reaches of the Dr Martens Premier League to the champions of the Southern League in over a year, clinching the title at our neighbours Cambridge City in 2002. After a typically slow start, the Lambs got used to the pace of the Conference and cemented safety with a lower mid table finish, impressively taking the scalps of Barnet, Hereford and Halifax on their travels. Major budget cuts and player contract problems led to Gee departing and his assistant cum striker Cooper took his first managerial job. Unfazed with the so-called relegation fight, Cooper led his Lamb Ground outfit to a comfortable mid table effort of 15th, often matching the top of the table clubs but faltering against the lower teams such as Leigh and Farnboro'.

Free of the budget cuts from the previous season, Cooper released a host of fringe players and signed the likes of big bustling striker Julian Alsop, pipping Forest Green for his signature. Despite remaining part time, Tamworth should have just enough strength to remain clear of the fight against the drop.

WOKING - 'The Cards'

Londoners Woking were slightly unlucky not to make the play-offs last season after faltering with just two games to go, when in a perfect position to nick fifth place. That was ultimate disappointment for manager Glenn Cockerill, who had been building a solid squad over the previous three years.

Woking were admitted to the Conference in '92 after romping away with the Isthmian League for years previous, and carried on their winning form for the first seven years of their Conference stint, by twice finishing second and five times consecutively finishing fifth or above.

Around this time Woking were more well known for their FA Cup exploits when the famous name of Tim Buzaglo scored a hat trick to knock out Barry Fry's Birmingham City at St Andrews. The older Cambridge United fans will also painfully recall Woking knocking The U's out at the Abbey Stadium in the mid 90's. The biggest transfer news this pre-season for The Cards is an outgoing player, highly rated striker Rapheal Nade leaving for Carlisle, gaining a £30,000 transfer kitty for Cockerill. Breaking news within the last few days has seen Woking reveal plans to target businesses in the South to help fund redevelopment of their Kingfield Stadium and turn over reported annual losses of £400,000.

YORK CITY - 'The Minstermen'

York City's fall from grace in football over the last few years is a sad tale for any fan of the North Yorkshire club. Just over ten years ago The Minstermen were conquering Man Utd 3-0 at Old Trafford in the League Cup, and now they look forward to visits from Grays Athletic and Gravesend & Northfleet. In the mid 90's, York was known for producing quality youngsters and selling on at a high price, with Jonathan Greening and Richard Cresswell just two of the names developed by York. Once the class youngsters stopped progressing, York's on the pitch fortunes and finances suffered, with many pointing the finger of blame at the 1996 relegation season, when York travelled to Man City and had to do anything but lose 4-0 and they'd stay up. They lost 4-0 and the rest is history.

During York's relegation season out of the Football League, their fans had wondered whether they would have a club to support after the club's landlords threatened to evict the club and build a housing project on the Bootham Crescent site. A painstaking fans take-over saved the club and the fans fought off the property developer and regained control of their ground, which has been renamed 'KitKat Crescent' in a sponsorship deal.

York found their first season in this division very hard going, struggling from day one and suffering heavy defeats to the likes of Northwich and Gravesend. Chris Brass finally succumbed to the pressure and was sacked, leaving Billy McEwan with the unenviable task of turning City around. York finished 17th last season and have released over half their squad in a major effort to improve on last season, and have signed some impressive youngsters such as Clayton Donaldson from Hull, and Mark Convery from Darlington. York should have sufficient depth to finish a little higher than last season but a shout for the play-offs is still a long way away.

Chris Vessey

[Preview part 1] [Fixture List]

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