Cambridge United secured promotion back to the third tier last season, taking the last automatic promotion place in League Two after finishing third, one point ahead of Salford City. Promotion ensured they bounced straight back after their relegation in the 2024/25, when they finished 23rd in League One.
The Us have had a strong start to the season, currently sitting sixth in the league, following two wins, two draws and a loss in their first five games. Their victories have come against Wigan Athletic
and Bradford City, while they come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 2-2 draw away to Burton Albion.
The two sides last faced off in the 2024/25 season, with Reading claiming a 3-0 home win before completing the double with a 3-1 win at the Abbey Stadium.
The boss
Neil Harris: Harris was appointed Cambridge manager in February 2025, taking over from Garry Monk, with the side sat bottom of League One.
He had an 18-year career as a player and was a striker who was a Millwall legend, holding the honour of being the Lions’ all-time record goalscorer.
Harris retired from playing in 2013 and secured his first full-time managerial role at Millwall in 2015. Spending five seasons with the club, Harris secured promotion back to the Championship in 2017, before guiding the Lions to eighth-, 21st- and 18th-placed finishes in the second tier.
He resigned from Millwall in 2019 and went on to manage Cardiff City in the Championship, guiding the Bluebirds to a playoff final in his first season. Harris left Cardiff in 2021 and moved to Gillingham a year later, before then joining Cambridge in December 2023.
His first spell at the Us only lasted two months, as Millwall came calling for their former boss. His second spell in charge of the Lions only lasted nine months and he returned to Cambridge in February last year.
He was unable to save the club from relegation to League Two in his first season but managed to guide the Us back to the third tier at the first attempt after finishing third in the league. The 49-year-old likes his sides to play direct football but with a high press.
Squad
It was a busy summer in Cambridge with 10 players joining the club: half on a permanent basis and half on loan.
Those signing permanently included goalkeeper Gabriel Breeze, who joined from Carlisle United; defenders Patrick Bauer and Cathal Heffernan; winger Isaac Heath, who joined from Premier League Everton; and striker Callum Stead, who came in from non-league Barnet.
Their five loan signings were defenders Callum Perry (Coventry City) and Sam Curtis (Sheffield United), midfielders Owen Moxon (Stockport County) and Ra’ees Bangura-Williams (Millwall) and striker Gassan Ahadme, who rejoined from Charlton Athletic.
Expected setup
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Style: Direct, high press
Lineup: Eastwood, Heffernan, Watts, Perry, Bennett, Ball, Moxon, Bradshaw, Knight, Heath, Ahadme
Key player
6. Kell Watts: Defender Watts signed for Cambridge in June 2024, joining on a free transfer following the end of his contract at Newcastle United.
He progressed through the Magpies’ youth system and made one appearance for the club, coming off the bench in their final game of the 2019/20 season. While at Newcastle, Watts gained first-team experience in the Football League on loan at Stevenage, Mansfield Town, Plymouth Argyle, Wigan Athletic and Peterborough United.
Watts has made 92 appearances for Cambridge since signing for the club, scoring eight goals. The 26-year-old has also been capped by England at youth level, making his Young Lions debut for the under-19s in 2018.
Standing at 6ft 4, Watts is a powerful, left-footed centre-back who is strong in the air in both boxes.
One to watch
2. Liam Bennett: Defender Bennett joined Cambridge in 2021 from sister club St Neots Town.
He played in the youth team at Sudbury before joining St Neots in 2020. Bennett gained first-team experience via loans at Hemel Hempstead Town and Walsall, before becoming a first-team regular in 2023.
He has since gone on to make 189 appearances for the Us and has four goals and 10 assists to his name. The 24 year old predominantly plays as a right-back but has also been used on the right hand side of midfield.
Bennett is a marauding wing-back who is an effective dribbler and crosser of the ball.
