| Club: | Cambridge United |
| Season: | 1971–72 |
| Manager: | Bill Leivers |
| League: | Football League Fourth Division |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Second round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | First round |
| League Topscorer: | Brian Greenhalgh (19) |
| Pattern La1: | _goldborder |
| Pattern B1: | _blackcollar |
| Pattern Ra1: | _goldborder |
| Prevseason: | 1970–71 |
| Nextseason: | 1972–73 |
The 1971–72 season was Cambridge United's 2nd season in the Football League.
| Win | Draw | Loss |
See main article: 1971–72 Football League.
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 August 1971 | Chester | A | 1 – 1 | 4,541 | Akers | ||
| 2 | 21 August 1971 | Northampton Town | H | 1 – 1 | 5,638 | Foote | ||
| 3 | 27 August 1971 | Southport | A | 1 – 4 | 3,388 | Akers | ||
| 4 | 1 September 1971 | Gillingham | A | 0 – 2 | 6,424 | |||
| 5 | 4 September 1971 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3 – 2 | 3,909 | Phillips, Horrey, Hollett | ||
| 6 | 11 September 1971 | Bury | A | 1 – 0 | 2,602 | Greenhalgh | ||
| 7 | 18 September 1971 | Darlington | H | 6 – 0 | 4,621 | Greenhalgh (4), Collins, Carr (o.g.) | ||
| 8 | 25 September 1971 | Lincoln City | A | 1 – 3 | 5,679 | Phillips | ||
| 9 | 29 September 1971 | Exeter City | H | 0 – 1 | 4,924 | |||
| 10 | 2 October 1971 | Aldershot | H | 1 – 1 | 4,781 | Phillips | ||
| 11 | 9 October 1971 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 1 – 1 | 3,521 | Phillips | ||
| 12 | 16 October 1971 | Chester | H | 2 – 0 | 3,289 | Phillips, Harris | ||
| 13 | 20 October 1971 | Workington | A | 1 – 0 | 3,983 | Phillips | ||
| 14 | 23 October 1971 | Colchester United | H | 4 – 2 | 7,320 | Harris (2), Foote, Lill | ||
| 15 | 30 October 1971 | Newport County | A | 0 – 3 | 3,824 | |||
| 16 | 6 November 1971 | Reading | H | 4 – 1 | 5,159 | Foote, Lill, Eades, Greenhalgh | ||
| 17 | 12 November 1971 | Stockport County | A | 0 – 3 | 2,389 | |||
| 18 | 27 November 1971 | Barrow | A | 1 – 1 | 1,031 | Walton | ||
| 19 | 4 December 1971 | Southend United | H | 1 – 1 | 6,260 | Greenhalgh | ||
| 20 | 18 December 1971 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1 – 1 | 1,868 | Phillips | ||
| 21 | 27 December 1971 | Grimsby Town | H | 3 – 1 | 8,591 | Phillips, Walton, Lill | ||
| 22 | 1 January 1972 | Darlington | A | 1 – 2 | 3,198 | Hollett | ||
| 23 | 8 January 1972 | Southport | H | 0 – 0 | 4,723 | |||
| 24 | 15 January 1972 | Hartlepool United | A | 2 – 1 | 2,369 | Harris, Collins | ||
| 25 | 22 January 1972 | Exeter City | A | 4 – 3 | 3,649 | Walton (2), Lill, Greenhalgh | ||
| 26 | 5 February 1972 | Brentford | H | 1 – 1 | 6,861 | Walker | ||
| 27 | 12 February 1972 | Colchester United | H | 1 – 1 | 5,663 | Lill | ||
| 28 | 19 February 1972 | Newport County | H | 0 – 1 | 4,618 | |||
| 29 | 26 February 1972 | Reading | A | 0 – 1 | 6,608 | |||
| 30 | 4 March 1972 | Stockport County | H | 2 – 0 | 3,913 | Collins, Greenhalgh | ||
| 31 | 9 March 1972 | Peterborough United | A | 0 – 2 | 4,950 | |||
| 32 | 11 March 1972 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1 – 1 | 3,207 | Greenhalgh | ||
| 33 | 15 March 1972 | Hartlepool United | H | 2 – 1 | 3,619 | Conlon, Guild | ||
| 34 | 18 March 1972 | Northampton Town | A | 2 – 1 | 3,781 | Collins, Greenhalgh | ||
| 35 | 20 March 1972 | Workington | H | 0 – 0 | 4,826 | |||
| 36 | 25 March 1972 | Bury | H | 0 – 2 | 4,413 | |||
| 37 | 31 March 1972 | Aldershot | A | 1 – 1 | 4,437 | Greenhalgh | ||
| 38 | 1 April 1972 | Grimsby Town | A | 1 – 2 | 12,741 | Foote | ||
| 39 | 3 April 1972 | Lincoln City | H | 0 – 0 | 6,588 | |||
| 40 | 8 April 1972 | Brentford | A | 1 – 2 | 9,061 | Greenhalgh | ||
| 41 | 11 April 1972 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1 – 2 | 6,145 | Pointer | ||
| 42 | 15 April 1972 | Barrow | H | 1 – 0 | 3,887 | Lill | ||
| 43 | 19 April 1972 | Peterborough United | H | 2 – 5 | 4,248 | Greenhalgh (2) | ||
| 44 | 21 April 1972 | Southend United | A | 2 – 1 | 17,303 | Greenhalgh (2) | ||
| 45 | 26 April 1972 | Gillingham | H | 2 – 1 | 3,260 | Greenhalgh, Conlon | ||
| 46 | 29 April 1972 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2 – 0 | 3,927 | Greenhalgh, Conlon |
See main article: 1971–72 FA Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 20 November 1971 | Weymouth | H | 2 – 0 | 4,643 | Hollett, Collins | |
| R2 | 11 December 1971 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0 – 3 | 8,788 |
See main article: 1971–72 Football League Cup.
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| DF | Vic Akers | 45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 2 |
| DF | Jack Bannister | 6(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7(2) | 0 |
| MF | John Collins | 40(1) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43(1) | 5 |
| FW | Bryan Conlon | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| DF | Terry Eades | 44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 1 |
| MF | Chris Foote | 38(2) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41(2) | 4 |
| FW | Brian Greenhalgh | 44 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 19 |
| DF | Alan Guild | 44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 1 |
| MF | George Harris | 11(1) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11(1) | 4 |
| FW | Ivan Hollett | 8(1) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 9(2) | 3 |
| MF | Roly Horrey | 5(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(1) | 1 |
| MF | David Lill | 42(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(1) | 1 |
| MF | John Murray | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | Peter Phillips | 33(1) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35(1) | 8 |
| MF | Keith Pointer | 4(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(2) | 1 |
| GK | Trevor Roberts | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| DF | Jimmy Thompson | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| GK | Peter Vasper | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| MF | Dennis Walker | 12(6) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13(6) | 1 |
| MF | Ronnie Walton | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 |
| DF | Jimmy White | 3(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(2) | 0 |