Blue Square Bet premier club Cambridge United has been up for sale by chairman Paul Barry and director Adrian Hanauer. Seattle-based businessman Barry is willing to sell up to someone who can secure the long-term future of the club which is in need of new investment.
Blue Square Bet premier club Cambridge United has been up for sale by chairman Paul Barry and director Adrian Hanauer. Seattle-based businessman Barry is willing to sell up to someone who can secure the long-term future of the club which is in need of new investment.
The board have invited an offer from supporters’ trust Cambridge Fans United who failed in a bid to buy the Abbey Stadium from developers in March. The U’s sold the ground to developers Bideawhile in 2004 for £1.9m who sold it on to Grovesnor Estates for £3.5m 10 months ago. The club wants to work with the landlords to develop a new stadium.
The U’s nearly disappeared in April 2005 after being relegated from League 2 and going into administration in the same week. The club has appeared in two Wembley play-off finals since then but has not succeeded in returning to the Football League.
The challenge for any purchaser is that Cambridge has a large student population and also a lot of other people working in hi-tech industries with no particular attachment to the city. There is also a rival club, Cambridge City, currently playing in the Zamaretto Premiership in the third tier of the non-league but with a loyal local following. It’s also relatively easy to get to London to watch Premiership football there.