Cambridge United FC are an English football club from Cambridgeshire. The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United (named after the Abbey district of Cambridge in which they play); although a club called Cambridge United existed in Cambridge from 1909, it was not linked to the club that exists today. The club played in local amateur leagues for many of its early years, moving from ground to ground around Cambridge before settling at the Abbey Stadium. In 1949 the club turned professional, and changed its name to Cambridge United in 1951. They played in the Eastern Counties League until finishing as runners-up in 1957–58 which gained them promotion to the Southern League. Three years later, Cambridge United reached the Premier Division of the Southern League and were elected to the Football League in 1970, to replace Bradford (Park Avenue. ).  The club enjoyed mixed success. Although it reached 10th place in the Second Division in 1981, the club was relegated in 1984 setting a league record for most games without a win, (33) in the process.  In 1985 the club equalled the league record for most losses in a season, (26). These successive relegations placed the club back in the Fourth Division, the lowest professional league in English football at the time.  Worse was to follow: in 2005 they were relegated to the Conference National, ending a run of 35 years in the Football League.  They returned to the League in 2014 after winning the play-off final against Gateshead. Cambridge were promoted to League One at the end of the 2020-21 season.