| Club: | Cambridge United |
| Season: | 1970–71 |
| Manager: | Bill Leivers |
| Stadium: | Abbey Stadium |
| League: | Fourth Division |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Second round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | First round |
| League Topscorer: | Ivan Hollett (11) |
| Pattern La1: | _blackborder |
| Pattern B1: | _blackcollar |
| Pattern Ra1: | _blackborder |
| Nextseason: | 1971–72 |
The 1970–71 season was Cambridge United's first season in the Football League.
On 30 May 1970 Bradford Park Avenue failed to be re-elected to the Football League and Cambridge United were voted to take their place. They had a quiet start to life as a football league club finishing in 20th position with 43 points.
| Win | Draw | Loss |
See main article: 1970–71 Football League.
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 August 1970 | Lincoln City | H | 1 – 1 | 6,843 | Meldrum | ||
| 2 | 22 August 1970 | Northampton Town | A | 1 – 2 | 7,901 | Walker | ||
| 3 | 29 August 1970 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3 – 1 | 5,435 | Cassidy, Harris, Leggett | ||
| 4 | 31 August 1970 | Brentford | H | 1 – 0 | 6,654 | Meldrum | ||
| 5 | 5 September 1970 | Scunthorpe United | A | 0 – 0 | 4,149 | |||
| 6 | 12 September 1970 | Southport | H | 0 – 0 | 3,843 | |||
| 7 | 19 September 1970 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2 – 1 | 2,224 | Lindsay, McKinven | ||
| 8 | 23 September 1970 | Chester | A | 1 – 2 | 5,982 | Hardy | ||
| 9 | 26 September 1970 | Hartlepool United | H | 2 – 0 | 5,225 | McKinven, Howell | ||
| 10 | 30 September 1970 | Aldershot | A | 2 – 2 | 5,739 | Cassidy, Meldrum | ||
| 11 | 3 October 1970 | Bournemouth | A | 0 – 3 | 7,116 | |||
| 12 | 10 October 1970 | Peterborough United | H | 1 – 1 | 7,570 | Gregson | ||
| 13 | 17 October 1970 | Lincoln City | A | 1 – 0 | 7,132 | Walker | ||
| 14 | 19 October 1970 | Stockport County | H | 1 – 1 | 4,650 | Leggett | ||
| 15 | 24 October 1970 | Exeter City | A | 0 – 1 | 5,631 | |||
| 16 | 31 October 1970 | Southend United | H | 0 – 3 | 5,701 | |||
| 17 | 7 November 1970 | Grimsby Town | A | 0 – 2 | 7,472 | |||
| 18 | 9 November 1970 | Workington | H | 1 – 2 | 4,238 | Leggett | ||
| 19 | 14 November 1970 | Newport County | H | 3 – 2 | 3,608 | Harris (2), Hollett | ||
| 20 | 28 November 1970 | Barrow | A | 1 – 2 | 2,129 | Hollett | ||
| 21 | 5 December 1970 | Colchester United | H | 2 – 1 | 5,183 | Harris, Horrey | ||
| 22 | 19 December 1970 | Northampton Town | H | 0 – 2 | 4,814 | |||
| 23 | 26 December 1970 | Notts County | A | 1 – 4 | 15,722 | Hollett | ||
| 24 | 2 January 1971 | Darlington | H | 2 – 0 | 3,866 | Cassidy | ||
| 25 | 9 January 1971 | Aldershot | H | 1 – 1 | 4,823 | Cassidy | ||
| 26 | 15 January 1971 | Stockport County | A | 1 – 0 | 2,340 | Horrey | ||
| 27 | 30 January 1971 | Barrow | H | 3 – 3 | 3,803 | Cassidy, White, Garbett (o.g.) | ||
| 28 | 5 February 1971 | Colchester United | A | 1 – 2 | 6,469 | Horrey | ||
| 29 | 13 February 1971 | York City | H | 1 – 1 | 4,593 | Hollett | ||
| 30 | 20 February 1971 | Workington | A | 1 – 3 | 2,114 | Collins | ||
| 31 | 26 February 1971 | Southend United | A | 1 – 1 | 6,827 | Harris | ||
| 32 | 1 March 1971 | York City | A | 0 – 3 | 3,138 | |||
| 33 | 6 March 1971 | Exeter City | H | 2 – 0 | 3,803 | Collins (2) | ||
| 34 | 8 March 1971 | Chester | H | 1 – 1 | 3,576 | Hollett | ||
| 35 | 12 March 1971 | Newport County | A | 0 – 2 | 2,587 | |||
| 36 | 15 March 1971 | Darlington | A | 0 – 2 | 2,809 | |||
| 37 | 20 March 1971 | Grimsby Town | H | 2 – 3 | 3,929 | Collins, Hollett | ||
| 38 | 27 March 1971 | Scunthorpe United | H | 1 – 1 | 3,657 | White | ||
| 39 | 3 April 1971 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1 – 4 | 8,242 | Hollett | ||
| 40 | 9 April 1971 | Southport | A | 1 – 0 | 2,885 | Hollett | ||
| 41 | 10 April 1971 | Notts County | H | 2 – 1 | 6,935 | Hollett, Harris | ||
| 42 | 13 April 1971 | Bournemouth | H | 0 – 2 | 6,027 | |||
| 43 | 17 April 1971 | Peterborough United | A | 3 – 2 | 5,068 | Hollett (2), Foote | ||
| 44 | 24 April 1971 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1 – 0 | 4,370 | Meldrum | ||
| 45 | 26 April 1971 | Brentford | A | 2 – 1 | 5,994 | Harris, Eades | ||
| 46 | 1 May 1971 | Hartlepool United | A | 0 – 0 | 1,767 |
See main article: 1970–71 Football League Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 21 November 1970 | Enfield | A | 1 – 0 | 2,941 | Hollett | |
| R2 | 12 December 1970 | Colchester United | A | 0 – 3 | 7,348 |
See main article: 1970–71 Football League Cup.
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| MF | 27(5) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28(5) | 6 | |
| MF | John Collins | 27(5) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28(5) | 6 |
| DF | Terry Eades | 45 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 1 |
| MF | Chris Foote | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| DF | Brian Grant | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 15(1) | 0 |
| MF | John Gregson | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| MF | Robin Hardy | 15(1) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18(1) | 1 |
| MF | George Harris | 22(1) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24(1) | 7 |
| FW | Ivan Hollett | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 12 |
| MF | Roly Horrey | 32 | 3 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33(1) | 3 |
| MF | Ron Howell | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| MF | Peter Leggett | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 3 |
| FW | Mal Lindsay | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| MF | John McKinven | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| DF | Colin Meldrum | 36(1) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38(1) | 4 |
| FW | Peter Phillips | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | Trevor Roberts | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| MF | Mel Slack | 33(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35(2) | 0 |
| DF | Jimmy Thompson | 32(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35(1) | 0 |
| GK | Peter Vasper | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| MF | Robin Wainwright | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Dennis Walker | 32(2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33(2) | 2 |
| DF | Jimmy White | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |