Andrew Bennett continues his comprehensive review of last season, moving into the month of February 2008.

Chief scout and newspaper columnist Willy Wordsworth agreed to replace Alan Lewer as assistant manager, initially until the end of the season. Three United players were called up by England C for the squad to play Wales in Exeter on the 20th - Morrison, Gleeson and Rendell. The Junior U's celebrated its first anniversary since reformation, an outstanding success with over 1,150 members signed up, while for United supporters young and old the "Bounce! Bounce!" cult went mainstream with the availability of commemorative T-shirts, with more merchandise to follow.

Saturday 9th February: U's 2-1 Stevenage [att: 3,772, away 646]

After a fallow weekend due to United's absence from the cups, normal service was resumed for a 5.15 kickoff at the Abbey in front of those ubiquitous Setanta TV cameras. JQ shuffled the pack, Pitt replacing Reed, Rendell rested and Farrell in for his debut with Beesley pushed up front alongside McEvilly. Albrighton was carrying a knock and dropped to the bench in favour of Peters. Fred Murray made a second appearance against United this season following his move from Stafford to a Stevenage side which had been decimated by defections to Gillingham and was now managed by Peter Taylor, who had apparently done quite well at Hull once. In an even first half, the hosts were slightly on top playing good passing football with Farrell and Beesley influential, but the breakthrough remained elusive.

It finally came on 64 when Alan Julian pushed Beesley's cross out to Pitt, on the spot to stroke home from fifteen yards and provoke a mass outbreak of joyous bouncing. United's lead was deserved, but only lasted thirteen minutes before human-giraffe hybrid Luke Oliver nodded home a Moore cross unchallenged. That old weakness again. The U's didn't panic, though, and kept playing football, Carden having a long-range thunderbolt tipped round on 82, and a minute from time they were rewarded for their patience and graft.

Pitt floated over a free-kick, Julian could only manage a one-handed punch to the edge of the box, Farrell smashed a shot into the ground and it bounced over everyone, looking to loop into the top corner until Rendell made sure with a close-range header, not offside as Boro hoped. Stevenage doubled, blip over. JQ thought "The best performance on the day was our fans" and Farrell introduced himself to live TV with an inadvertent swear word. No, not 'Barry Fry.' That's two swear words. Man of the Match: Ben Farrell

Media speculation persisted that Peterborough wanted Rendell and Morrison on loan with a view to a permanent transfer, fuelled by Baz's appearance at the Abbey on Saturday, but JQ insisted "There's nothing in it at all." Next up were the increasingly runaway league leaders.

Tuesday 12th February: Aldershot Town 0-0 U's [att: 3,259, away 562]

The build-up to one of the matches of the season was nothing short of a shambles as Aldershot, hopelessly underestimating the number of travelling U's fans, arranged for all the supporters' coaches to arrive at 7pm then opened just one turnstile, leading to a huge, restive queue snaking its impatient way through an unlit park. Vociferous protests eventually led to the hosts opening a gate and stationing a hapless employee there with a bucket to admit 'exact money only' attendees only, but such was the chaos that their estimate of the volume of the away support must be approximate at best. Portaloos that would have shamed the Somme awaited, rickety and filthy as a one-legged vagrant. Kickoff was delayed for ten minutes.

Aldershot now lay thirteen points clear with a stunning record of 22 wins out of 30 and only one draw (at the Abbey). Farrell was out following a blow to the head on Saturday but Rendell returned with Beesley in a deeper role. First action was a horrendous clogging of Gleeson by Anthony Charles, but the United wing-back eventually resumed after some TLC from Greg Reid. The contest evolved into something of a stalemate, with a pulsating atmosphere but little attendant goalmouth action, the Shots playing their flowing passing football and United matching them every inch of the way.

Rob Elvins beat the U's offside trap on 56 but shot instead of squaring to better-placed colleagues, and the defence remained well marshalled by the commanding Peters. Potter made a great save on 64, turning a Kirk Hudson howitzer around the post, and John Grant shot straight at the United custodian when clean through. Boylan had the visitors' best chance on 79, forcing a fine save from Bull, and the drama was heightened three minutes later when Charles received a second yellow for a blatant handball. There were chances for both sides in a grandstand finish, but in the end honour was satisfied and both sides were content with a gritty point. Shots boss Gary Waddock called the United side "one of the best we've played." In three matches, they had yet to best us. Man of the Match: Mark Peters

The transfer mill just wouldn't stop grinding. It was revealed that Southend had now made five ever-increasing cash offers for Michael Morrison, to come at the end of a rest-of-season loan, but all were rejected by the Board. No sign of any offers for anyone from up the A1. Then on the 15th, Morrison signed an improved contract to last for a further two and a half years, after a "rethink" credited to his manager.

Saturday 16th February: Halifax Town 1-2 U's [att: 1,420, away 316]

Now United had another bogey in their sights, as they bid to win at The Shay for the first time since October 1976. The hosts were still in financial turmoil with a takeover long ongoing and the ground resolutely unfinished. Reed replaced Carden, suspended for amassing five yellows, and it looked like the same old Shay story when the hosts took the lead on the quarter hour, Simon Heslop breaking down the middle and slotting past Potter. United's stand-in skipper had to be on top form in a poor first half for his team, but they gained a lifeline just before the break: McEvilly pressurised a back-pass to keeper Adam Legzdins, he sliced his clearance to Beesley 25 yards out, and with just a defender between him and an empty goal, he lofted a beautiful cool chip into the net for his first U's goal.

United looked decidedly more energetic after the interval and took the lead twelve minutes in due to a beautiful one-touch passing move. McEvilly, Pitt, Wolleaston and Beesley were all involved before Rendell spotted Gleeson dashing forward with a diagonal ball; he got to the byline, squared across the six-yard box and there was McEvilly storming in to ram it home. This was The Shay, though, and Peters, having a rare off-day, was dismissed on the hour for a last-man foul on Nelthorpe. Albrighton came on for Brown and United went 4-4-1, staying calm under intense pressure to condemn Halifax to only their second home defeat of the season. The players, led by Wordsworth, bounced as they celebrated with their delirious fans. Man of the Match: Lee McEvilly

JQ revealed afterwards that Mark Convery had been left off the bench because of the way he expressed his unhappiness at being omitted from the starting line-up. It seems "his attitude wasn't the best" and "at his age he may be looking to get regular football somewhere else."

United's three England call-ups were on their way to Exeter... but one of them had his mind on another place entirely. The club turned down a new six-figure bid from Peterborough for Scott Rendell, George Rolls stating that "...it would not be a wise decision or in our best interests to sell our leading scorer."

Twenty-four hours later everything had changed. Rendell, 'happy to stay' a few weeks ago, made a formal written transfer request and United agreed to let him go to the Posh on loan later in the week with a full transfer to follow, the fee around £110k. Rolls clarified the Board's position: "The club has a policy that we don't keep players who are unhappy and don't want to play for the club... we're bitterly disappointed and very, very upset that this happened... the player has contacted me today and has asked to leave the football club, saying that he wants to join Peterborough... so it's with much regret that we've got to let him go. We can't keep a player who doesn't want to be at the club."

JQ echoed, "Peterborough offered him unbelievable money that we couldn't match... Scott told me he didn't want to stay at Cambridge United and I'm not interested in players who don't want to be here." Presumably Posh offered this money after being given permission to talk to the player, as they surely wouldn't make an illegal approach. Paul Barry confirmed, "Posh have offered him a four-year contract at wages we can't match and bonuses that are unbelievable."

So what did the man himself have to say? "There were a few complications at the Cambridge end and that is why I handed in a transfer request, but if that is what I had to do then so be it. I want to play in the Football League, this move is not about money - it is about playing in this division and bettering myself as a player?I wish Cambridge well and there was a temptation to stay there and finish the job, but unfortunately that was not the case." Unfortunately indeed. The fans went into understandable uproar.

As all this drama was unfolding, the doughty SSI volunteers were making the next leaflet drop to residents of Histon, Impington and Milton for the match against Kidderminster at the end of March. JQ attended two games in the next few days looking at a number of strikers, aiming to get at least one in on loan. Stephen Smith's loan at Milton Road was extended to the end of the season, Smudger proving a big hit there, but Hoyte was recalled from Hinckley. Peters received a three-game suspension in the aftermath of Halifax.

England C defeated Wales 2-1, with Morrison scoring from a corner again and Gleeson getting on as sub. Rendell did not play because his Posh loan was confirmed hours earlier, making him ineligible. JQ brought another forward in, young Jack Jeffery from West Ham for a month, a player whom Jimmy said reminded him of Tony Cottee.

Gavin Hoyte was loaned out again, to King's Lynn for the rest of the season. JQ revealed that Hinckley had wanted to send him back because their manager did not think he was playing well enough, and Gavin was not happy either: "I think the manager is under a bit of pressure and perhaps not seeing things clearly, having a go at the players, and Gavin was one of those... he's one of those lads who needs an arm round him from time to time and I don't think he was getting that there." Group hug, please.

Saturday 23d February: U's 2-0 Forest Green Rovers [att: 4,797, away 66]

With Gleeson and Peters suspended, Rendell gone and Beesley ineligible against his former employers, United went 4-4-2 with the two Lees up front, Wolleaston wide right and Morrison and Hatswell at full-back. FGR could only muster four subs, and went one down inside four minutes to a goal by an ex-player of theirs. Hatswell placed the ball for a free-kick in the left channel a good forty yards from goal and appeared to be lining up a cross to the far post. Then, catching keeper Ryan Robinson totally unawares, he rasped a tremendous shot into the near top corner of the net like a guided missile, one of the greatest free-kicks ever seen at the Wembley of the Fens. Stunning stuff.

The formation worked well, Carden dominating the middle and McEvilly an excellent target man, but FGR made for decent opposition in an entertaining game chock full of chances and penalty appeals. United doubled their lead on 64 when Carden floated a high ball down the middle, it held up on the wind, Robinson hesitated, McEvilly and marker Mark Preece gave chase, the latter panicked with Big Mac breathing down his neck (wouldn't you?) and he chested the ball past his own stranded keeper for a spectacular own goal, the first in a U's game for thirteen months.

Jeffery came off the bench for his debut in place of Boylan on 70, and near the end the much-vaunted and on the day ineffective Fleetwood tried a shot which was so feeble that Potter mimed throwing his cap over it. United had their first win over Rovers in six attempts despite the best efforts of ref Oli Langford, worst of the season with his constant whistling, endless supply of cards and irritating perma-grin. JQ insisted that the title race was still on although Aldershot were ten points clear, while Jim Harvey came across as the sourest losing manager in living memory, calling Potter a "clown." Why weren't you laughing then, Jim? Man of the Match: Lee McEvilly

JQ was named BSP Manager of the Month for the second time and said modestly that it should be shared with the players and the fans. Dan Gleeson signed a renewed contract until 2010.

End of month position: 3rd

Andrew Bennett

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