26/04 - 20:00
In March 2020, Cambridge United permanently appointed the unknown, in terms of the wider footballing world, Mark Bonner. Bonner never played football at a professional or semi-pro level, nor had he been a part of a youth system whilst growing up – he didn’t even have a Wikipedia page – and yet, Cambridge struck gold.
He had worked in the club’s academy from 2011 until 2018 when he moved into be a part of Shaun Derry’s coaching staff. He took over as caretaker manager on two occasions but was mainly a part of Derry and Colin Calderwood’s coaching staff.
A blessing in disguise
Bonner took over in January of that year on a caretaker basis as the club struggled towards the bottom end of League Two, before the sacking of Colin Calderwood. In four matches as caretaker, he picked up four wins before the COVID-enforced curtailment of the 2019/20 season meant a six-month break in competitive football for Cambridge and the absolute assurance they would not be relegated.
It was a six-months in which the U’s, as mentioned, were assured of EFL status and used that time brilliantly to build a squad capable of competing at a better level than they had been in League Two… what happened next, though, was never really a realistic intention.
A special season
The 2020/21 season began with Mark Bonner’s first-ever competitive match as a permanent manager in football, in which he guided his League Two U's to a victory and upset against Birmingham City in the first round of the EFL Cup.
The signing of Wes Hoolahan proved to be an inspired one with the experienced Irishman viewed as the best attacking midfielder in the division across the season, according to WhoScored.com’s ratings system. 2.3 key passes per game and nine assists highlighted an apparent reliance on Hoolahan in the creative role, but that would be to underplay the structure that Bonner had put in place.
Paul Mullin’s astonishing goals return will also be something used to potentially undermine the impressive work of Bonner. Rather than credit the Cambridge manager for helping Mullin achieve his best ever season, and one he is probably unlikely to replicate again, it would be easy to suggest that the manager was reliant on just one or two players.
Hoolahan and Mullin were part of a well-coached side that knew how to exploit their opponents’ weaknesses and impose their strengths. That was down to an unusually impressive level of coaching and implementation of ideas for someone so inexperienced at the job.
Cambridge were in the top three of the table for 13 matches and eventually went up in second place on the final day of the season with a thumping 3-0 victory over already-relegated Grimsby Town.
Even in the lacklustre and disappointing circumstances of behind closed doors, it was still a historic campaign for Bonner and his Cambridge United.
A special story
“Twenty-two years ago, I was a season ticket holder watching us play Brentford on the last day of the season, and whoever won won the league to get back into League One.
That’s the last time we were there, so to now be on the touchline and taking that team is a bit of a mad story.”
It most certainly is, Bonner going from the terraces to the dugout.
However, it isn’t just the dream cartoon of a boyhood supporter dragging his team up in his first season in charge. It is the story of genuine tactical excellence, at a young age, exploiting fairly humble resources to overperform and achieve actual success.
It’s a lovely story and all, but it centres around one of the most exciting managers in the English pyramid – and that makes it even more thrilling.
That can be seen by the fact that Cambridge are going again. Promotion from League One is extremely unlikely and nigh on impossible, but the avoidance of relegation would be a worthy success in itself.
📈 Scored in every league game this season (top 4 tiers):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) September 20, 2021
PL: Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd
Ch: QPR
L1: Cambridge Utd, Cheltenham, Ipswich, MK Dons, Wigan
L2:✖️#CFC #LFC #MUFC #QPR #CamUTD #ctfc #itfc #MKDons #wafc pic.twitter.com/gi0eC3Jy3k
After seven games, Cambridge sit firmly in mid-table having won five of their last seven matches in all competitions since towards the end of August.
Last season was a wonderful adventure but it was only just the beginning of it.
