How Peterborough United fared in the biggest Cambs derby of them all
This Saturday’s clash between Cambridge United and Posh at the Abbey Stadium is a big game, but it’s far from the most important derby between the clubs.
On January 2, 1978 the teams met in a Division Three game at the Abbey at a time when both were trying to reach the second tier of English football for the first time in their history.
Posh were managed by John Barnwell, while the boss of the hosts was one Ron Atkinson who was trying to steer the club to a second successive promotion having escaped Division Four the season before.
Cambridge had won their previous eight home games and started the day fifth, one place below Posh who were on an 11-game unbeaten run, and the game drew a record Abbey Stadium League crowd of 10,998. Some visiting fans were still coming into the ground at half-time after a turnstile cock-up.
Former Posh skipper John Cozens was in the Cambridge side for a game that was ferociously competitive. Cozens had moved to Cambridge from Posh for £20k just two months earlier.
And he had the last laugh as Cambridge won the derby 1-0 with a header 17 minutes from time from star striker Alan Biley, one of 23 he scored that season.
Cambridge went on to win automatic promotion with a second-placed finish even though Atkinson left to manage West Brom soon after the derby win and his assistant Docherty took over.
Posh finished fourth, missing out on promotion on goal difference after an agonising 0-0 final game draw at champions Wrexham.
Cozens, who still lives in Longthorpe, said: “Of course it was a wrench to leave Posh, but I came into the Football League quite late so I just wanted to play, and I wasn’t doing that at London Road.
"I wasn’t getting on with John Barnwell and when Cambridge came in for me I thought ‘why not?’
"I didn’t score that many goals for them, but we won promotion in my first season there so it was a good time for me and the club.”
Posh: Barron, Hindley, Lee, Turner, Ross, Doyle, Carmichael, McEwen, Slough, Sargeant, Anderson. Sub Robson.
Posh had won the Cambs derby at London Road two months earlier, 2-0 with goals from Tony Cliss and Gary Sargent.