Senior duo to depart Cambridge United after 26 years' service

CAMBRIDGE UNITED Head of Performance Matt Walker and Academy Manager Tom Pell are leaving the club at the end of the season following a combined 26 years of service.

Walker has been with the club since 2012, starting as Head of Sport Science before being promoted to Head of Performance in 2014.

Pell joined in May 2006 as Centre of Excellence Coach and Development Centre Manager and held a variety of roles before becoming Academy Manager in 2018. The duo are joining new clubs in the summer and Cambridge are in the process of replacing them.

Sporting Director Ben Strang said: "First and foremost we would like to sincerely thank Tom and Matt for their outstanding dedication to Cambridge United.

"Tom has worked with our youngest and oldest Academy players, and everything in between. He’s immensely respected and well liked, not only at Cambridge United but across the Academy landscape in this country. He has led our academy terrifically as Academy Manager for the past four years and developed hugely as a leader and strategic thinker.

"Matt has led our sport science provision and managed the performance department, overseeing sports science, medical and analysis. He has done an exceptional job at driving the football club on, across these disciplines. Matt’s attention to detail, organisational qualities and level of professionalism, as well as his empathetic yet challenging nature with the players, is what makes him a tremendous character.

"Naturally, both will be hard acts to follow. They have both shown enormous humility, leadership and work ethic over the years. But we can take pride from the fact that our staff are so highly regarded in the game and will be moving on to great new roles.”

Assistant Academy Manager Kit Brunswick is also leaving the Club after nearly three years to take a role in professional e-sports. League One Cambridge have a Category Three Academy and placed 60th in TGG's 2020/21 Academy Productivity Rankings.

READ MORE: Matt Walker - How Cambridge came out of hibernation in League Two