U’s Manager Richard Money pleased with first two signings.
Cambridge United Manger Richard Money believes Mark Roberts and Leon Legge are two major coups for the club as they prepare for the 2015/16 Sky Bet League Two season.
Yesterday the U’s announced former Stevenage and Fleetwood captain Roberts, as the club’s second signing to complete a potentially mouth-watering defensive partnership alongside fellow new recruit, Legge, who switched to the Abbey Stadium from Gillingham last week.
Money explains the importance of building a new team from the back and believes the pair indicate a positive sign of the club’s ambitions moving forwards, he said: “I’m sure there will have been some surprise at what we have decided to do over the summer, but I also think that the fans supported the idea very quickly.
“The next stage of that was to see what developed and I think that the first two signings show a major statement of intent from the football club.
“The fact that we have persuaded both Mark and Leon to come here, should tell everybody what they need to know with where the club is at and where we want to go.
“I think it was important to get that message out there with the first two signings”
He continued: “Any normal team building process starts at the back and of the players that were available this summer, they were two major targets.
“We are really pleased to have been able to get them over the line as early as we have done. There were a lot of clubs talking to them and we are happy they have decided to come here.”
Talking about the individual qualities of the new signings, Money believes both have the capability to lead the U’s around the pitch in different ways.
He added: “Mark is a leader, the qualities that he shows along with his personality is first class and everything we want to bring to the club at this stage of our development.
“I think that Leon will be a leader in his own way, although he is quieter than Mark I’m sure he’ll lead the side by what he does out on the pitch and how he organizes people.
“Whereas Mark I expect will be a lot more vocal and far more involved on a day to day basis, which will make him a real driving force in what we do going forward.
“There are doubts that on the face of it they will form a really formidable partnership.
“With the likes of Josh Coulson and Liam Hughes already at the club, I think we have got that central defensive competition within the squad straight away, which is crucial.”