City's future is all white!

Cambridge City, who ended the season with their second-best winning run ever, hope the move to a new purpose-built stadium will inspire future success.

The Lilywhites have been without a permanent home since leaving their historic Milton Road ground in 2013 and have ground-shared with nearby Histon and St Ives since.

Club President Len Satchell purchased a 35-acre site in Sawston in 2012, and the club announced plans to build a 3,000-capacity stadium and community facility.

Following a lengthy planning process, the development is now out to tender. The Satchell family agreed a seven-figure donation to build the new ground. This will be further enhanced by grants through the Football Foundation.

City ended the season with a seven-game unbeaten run without conceding a goal, including six straight wins.

That late form though, followed a tumultuous start. Following a change of league allocations, the Lilywhites were moved into the Isthmian League North, ending their long-running tenure as a Southern League club.

Following that announcement last summer, several players departed, meaning manager Robbie Nightingale had to start rebuilding just a few weeks before the new season.

Nightingale told NLP: “We were going into a league that we didn't know anything about. We'd lost eight or 10 players. It was a real topsy-turvy pre-season. All our plans had gone out of the window.

“It took us a while to get to grips with. We didn't know anything about who we were playing against, having spent the last however many years in the Southern League. It was all a big change.”

By Christmas, City were struggling in the bottom half of the table. New signings provided the squad with youth and experience and helped turn things around.

Nightingale explains: “They were younger, they were willing to put the hard yards in. We just went back to basics, defend our goal, players behind the ball, don't give good players and good teams space to exploit you. It all came together.

“They [players signed in January] were really important and crucial. The run that followed shows how big an influence they have on the group and the quality of players they are. They help drive the team forward.”

He was optimistic that City, who ultimately finished ninth, could have built on that winning run and potentially secured a playoff place before the season ended early. The club has been further buoyed by the news that 13 players have agreed deals for next term.

“It's really pleasing that everyone I spoke to wants to stay involved. It’s great that they believe in what we're trying to do and want to be a part of it. Those last seven games were a real boost. It’s made everyone quite excited to what could be achieved with this group.

“The lads need to take a lot of credit for their dedication and their application and willingness to take on instructions. That’s what got us there, desire and the passion to do well.”

City recently signed a new agreement with Histon to continue ground-sharing for a further season as the club moves forward with the tender process. Lockdown has posed challenges, but the club are still aiming to complete the ground development by next summer.

Nightingale, who played in City’s final game at Milton Road said: “There's no better feeling than running out at your home ground. Histon have been great landlords, but there's no substitute for your own ground and the revenue and everything that comes with it makes you a more sustainable club. That’s something that we’re really looking forward to.”

Chairman Kevin Satchell believes a permanent home will also help attract future signings. He added: “Every club really needs its own ground. Ground-sharing, you can do it for a few years but it's expensive. You haven't got your own income streams. You haven’t got your own bar and function rooms. So, it's hugely important for the financial future of the club to have its own facilities.

“And just a place that we can call home. Every single one of our teams is ground sharing somewhere. We'd ideally like to bring them all under one roof.”