Paul Digby describes promotion celebrations with Cambridge United supporters as unforgettable moment
Paul Digby will never forget the moment Cambridge United celebrated their promotion to League One with their supporters.
The U’s fans have only been allowed inside the ground for a handful of games all season, and have had to watch on from afar as the U's earned second place in Sky Bet League Two.
But a couple of hundred gathered on Coldham's Common to cheer on their side at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday as United earned the 3-0 win over Grimsby Town to get promoted.
After the game, the players climbed on to the roof of the turnstiles at the Newmarket Road end to salute the supporters, who had moved round to the car park, in a socially-distanced manner.
“Amazing, I will never forget that - never, ever forget that,” said talismanic midfielder Digby.
“The season we’ve had not having fans in, just to see them all at the end there and how happy it makes them, I can’t put that into words.
“It’s just unbelievable.”
Digby heaped the praise on everyone involved with the U's for their promotion, not just the first-team squad.
“It’s unbelievable. What a group,” said Digby.
“What an amazing season, everyone has just stuck together. I’ve been in football 10 years now, and everyone came back in pre-season so fit, so at it.
“I just said to the staff, everything has got to click. To do something like this, everyone has got to work hard, the staff have got to work hard, the players have got to work hard.
“At the start of the season, we were written off a bit so you have to work 10 times harder than everyone else.
“You have to put it in, and we have. It’s unbelievable. So much credit to the staff, the manager, what a group.
“Everyone has to play their part to do something like this. You see the XI out there but you don’t see everything behind the scenes, it’s amazing.
“It’s just been amazing all season.
“The subs today and the lads who aren’t the squad, they’ve played their part, they’ve been magnificent in training. The young boys, who have had such a tough season, not playing many games but you should see them in training, they set the standard.
“I just can’t tell you how well everyone has done day to day, and that’s why we’ve done what we have.”
Digby was convinced to join United last summer by the vision sold to him by head coach Mark Bonner, having been impressed by their first meeting. And it has reaped its rewards.
“He told me exactly what I needed to do, exactly what I was going to do this season - I’ve gone and done it,” said Digby.
“He has backed me, backed the team, backed everyone. He has been so good with everyone.”
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