Cambridge City manager Jamie Cureton pleased with developing relationship between new-look side and club’s supporters
The burgeoning relationship between a new-look Cambridge City side and their supporters was there for all to see at Newmarket Town on Saturday.
For the previous eight years, fans had become accustomed to seeing club legend Robbie Nightingale at the helm.
However, his departure in May ushered in the dawning of a new era, one that is being spearheaded by Jamie Cureton.
A scorer of more than a 1,000 goals in the professional and non-league game, Cureton wasted little time in stamping his mark. Of the senior players, only Ed Tassell remains from the squad that retained its Step 4 status on goal difference last term – everyone else is a new addition.
For the fanbase, widespread alterations on that level can be a little unsettling. However, as the players went over to show their appreciation to the travelling support after the 3-1 win over the Jockeys in the FA Trophy, the signs are that a strong connection is being formed.
Cureton, who has seen his side rack up three straight victories alongside coming out on top in four of their last five outings, said: “The club has been in a non-winning state. For me, it was about bringing people onboard and trying to change that mentality.
“At the start of the season when we lost games, you hear comments like ‘same old’. But I don’t want that – I want the fans and club to expect to win.
“I want the fans to turn up and expect to see good football, expect to see us winning games and see us competing.
“It’s about trying to get everyone on the same page. I want them enjoy watching their team and when they get home they’ve seen a team work for the shirt and the club. Hopefully that continues and when we take that to our new stadium – more crowds come – and that’s going to be our springboard.
“It’s important that we get the fans onside. I’m new and they’ve had a manager for eight years that they all got on with and players that have been here for five or six years.
“For me to come in and change everything, they don’t know me and I’ve let some good players go. It’s important that we got the ball rolling quick so they could understand that.
“I think they can now see what we’re doing. For us, we need to keep building on this and trying to win every game.”
City took control of the second round qualifying tie at Newmarket inside the opening 10 minutes thanks to George Smith, who buried two chances with the sort of composure that saw him finish second highest goalscorer in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division last term while on Maldon & Tiptree’s books.
His first of the brace – scored in the seventh minute – saw him race away from the Newmarket defence and send James Young the wrong way with a low finish after being sent clear by Jack Thompson’s well-timed pass.
And just three minutes later some smart footwork from Aaron Greene saw him shake off the attention of three Newmarket players before picking out Smith with a reverse pass. While the striker’s first goal was calmly stroked home, this time with a narrowing angle he powered his effort inside Young’s far post.
It took Smith’s tally in a City shirt to seven goals – yet Cureton believes that there is still ‘more to come’ from the frontman.
He added: “Smudger has said to me he’s a slower starter but he’s on seven goals now. He’s probably not hit the form I saw from him at Maldon last year so there’s still more to come from him, which is pleasing.”
Ryan Cole halved the deficit for Newmarket before the break, but Alex Warman’s 58th-minute free-kick sealed City’s passage through.
The victory put the Lilywhites in the third round qualifying of the tournament for the first time since 2010, with Monday’s draw dealing them a trip on 5 October to an AFC Sudbury side that play a level higher in the pyramid.
Prior to that, Cureton’s men will welcome Witham Town to St Ives for a league fixture on Sunday (29 September).
