This season we will operate a reserve team in the Ridgeons Premier League under the banner of Cambridge Regional College, and your support will be welcomed.

Home games will be played at the Abbey Stadium and the team will consist of Cambridge United scholars and senior players on loan or non-contract arrangements.

As Head of Youth Development Jez George explained last month, "The FA will not allow new reserve teams to enter at Step 5 of the Football Pyramid, hence Cambridge Regional College being formed as a new club for the Ridgeons Premier League. This team will act as a feeder to the first team.

"All the youngsters can be dual registered, as can non-contract senior players. Contracted first team players can be loaned to CRC for 28 days, but cannot be recalled to CUFC within that four week period."

The season kicks off on Saturday away to Norwich United, followed by matches at home to Histon Reserves on Wednesday 16th August and at home to Wisbech Town on Saturday 19th August.

Jez hopes many Cambridge United supporters will come along to support the team, especially in the home games, and to see the scholars pit themselves against older and more experienced players.

"This league is an excellent competition in which to develop young players," he told cambridgeunited.com.

"The youngsters need to adapt to the physical aspect of the game and must learn to impose their football on the opposition by being technically and tactically superior. We will have a great advantage in home fixtures thanks to the magnificent playing surface provided by Ian and Mick, so we must pick up as many points as possible at the Abbey Stadium.

"I really hope that our fans can support the team and will enjoy the football we try to play. We are aiming to produce first team players. Obviously we want to compete, win matches and be placed well in the league, but the development of individuals within a professional and ambitious environment remains our primary objective. We are not a reserve team but a team of potential young footballers for Cambridge United FC.

"It has been excellent working with Rob throughout pre-season," he added. "He has watched all of our matches, taken a keen interest in all of the youngsters, invited some of them to train with the first team and included one or two of them in his squads.

"This sends out a great message to everyone in the youth set-up and gives the youngsters a huge incentive. It is a pleasure to work with a first team manager who is genuinely interested in the development of young players and we will endeavour to produce players capable of playing Conference and League football."

The CRC team may be able to call on some senior players during the season with loan arrangements from contracted first team players. In addition, and depending on first team selections, Mark Peters and Shane Herbert will be available as they are dual registered for CRC and Cambridge United.

"Players of the calibre and experience of Mark Peters can play a vital role in educating these young players on the pitch, as well as providing them with competitive football if they are not in the first team starting XI," explained Jez.

"We have a really exciting start to the season with attractive fixtures against local rivals Histon Reserves and one of the title favourites, Wisbech, at the Abbey. We kick off on Saturday with a trip to Norwich United and also face a short trip to Soham before the end of the month.

"Please see this as your team," he stressed. "We are playing under the banner of CRC as recognition of their financial support of our scheme, because FA rules will not permit us to enter this level of the football pyramid as a newly formed reserve team. As the team will comprise almost entirely of scholars, this name seemed most appropriate."

We will publish the full fixture list here in the next few days when the Reserve section of the website is brought up to date, and regular match reports, scores and scorers will appear on the website.

[The New Youth Structure]

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