Abbey Stadium

The Abbey Stadium stands beside the Newmarket Road in Cambridge, home since 1932 to Cambridge United. The ground began as a patch of land donated by club president Henry Francis and now holds four distinct stands. A grandstand opened in 1934, the Habbin Stand was finished in 1954, and the South Stand arrived in 2002. Floodlights first lit the pitch in 1970 for a friendly against Chelsea watched by a record 14,000 spectators. The stadium’s history includes several name changes through sponsorship deals. It was once the Cambs Glass Stadium, then the Trade Recruitment Stadium, and later the R Costings Abbey Stadium. In 2022 the club bought the ground back from Grosvenor Estates, restoring full ownership after nearly two decades. The record attendance remains 14,000 for that 1970 friendly, and the ground once ranked second only to Wembley in being styled a stadium. Visitors find four stands around the pitch. The Main Stand runs the east side with a family area and media box. The Habbin Stand opposite is terraced and named after a famous early fan. The North Terrace, known as the Newmarket Road End, runs three-quarters of one end. The South Stand seats home or away supporters and houses a police control centre with medical facilities. The refurbished frontage now presents a more welcoming face to the city.