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Cambridge University Nil Satis Federation

Saturday, 18 May 1968. FA Cup Final at Wembley. West Bromwich Albion v Everton. Harry Catterick was putting the final touches to build the team that would win the League in 1969-70 – the magic era of the “Holy Trinity”. We had battered West Brom 6-2 earlier in the season. Surely the FA Cup Final was going to be a formality? But we were (are) Everton, aren’t we? Tight game. 0-0 approaching the 85th minute mark with extra time looming.

Johnny Morrissey beats his full back and crosses. Jimmy Husband, six yards out and unmarked... this is it! But he headed over the bar. “Oh dear” (or something equivalent) went the shout from the thousands of Evertonians at Wembley that day. “Oh Dear, Indeed” (or something equivalent) went the groan in the first period of extra time when Jeff Astle scored what eventually turned out to be the winner. Losers' medals all round.

But what did most Evertonians do after due reflection? Okay, move on. Let’s plan for next season. Come On You Blues!

And amongst those “moving on” were four Evertonians who were about to join Cambridge University (CU) in the late summer of 1968. Mike Stevens, John Taylor, John Tinsley, and Mal Lee.

Academic life at Cambridge was, at the time, and had been for decades, supplemented by “Societies and Clubs”, many of which were officially accredited by the University, and based on students’ hobbies and interests. Being Cambridge, these tended to be things like the CU Rowing Club, CU Squash Club, CU Philately Club, Fox Hunting Club, Cheese and Wine Tasting Club and of course the world famous CU Footlights Club.

Into that mix the “four founder members” decided in 1968 to launch the Cambridge University Nil Satis Federation (referred to colloquially at the time as “The NSF”). The incorporation of elements of the Latin Motto of EFC was a nod to the traditions of Cambridge University. But, on reflection, little else was!

John Tinsley, when recently recalling the “Big Bang” moment when The NSF was formed, described it as follows:

“The organization was formed – I recall – on a train journey from Birmingham to Cambridge – after a football tournament. The name NSF was agreed – slight reference to NLF – National Liberation Front – from the Vietnam War. I don’t recall that we ever added the CU in our day.

“Meetings were then held in Trinity College bar and were surprisingly formal – minutes from the previous meeting, motions passed etc. May be my fault – I was then on the Students Representative Council and also in the Labour Party so therefore steeped in petty bureaucracy and hackery.”

It was “Resolved” that the above-mentioned Jimmy Husband would be invited to become the first Honorary President of the NSF (a testament to the loyalty of true Evertonians despite disappointment) and Jimmy duly accepted the invitation by means of a hand-written letter which was preserved for many generations of subsequent NSF members in a plastic wrapper (no such thing as / we couldn’t afford / a laminator in those days) and is remembered in NSF folklore as “The Big Jimmy Husband Letter”. Regrettably it has, as have a number of other NSF memorabilia, disappeared like lost “Relics of Saints” over the intervening years.

During the tenure of the next wave of NSF members in 1969 onwards, The NSF “went through all of the hoops” to become, against all the odds, an officially affiliated Cambridge University Society – written constitution, Club Crest etc. As part of that process, the official name was changed to “Cambridge University Nil Satis Federation” (CUNSF) to pass muster! This accreditation allowed CUNSF access to University funds which were used to hire coaches to take members to EFC away games in London and other parts of the South East. There were three trips to Tottenham in the Division 1 Championship triumph of1969-70, two of which were called off as a result of bad weather, but we all saw the Alan Whittle winner in March 1970 in the pouring rain.

We still maintained the same traditions as our founder members in meeting every Sunday evening in Trinity College Bar (then, and still now, one of the “Establishment” colleges) to call our meetings to order, pass round the copies of the previous week’s “Pink Echo” (Footy Echo for current readers) that we had had posted to us, drink copious amounts of ale, discuss all things Everton, and propose and pass motions of support and censure (the latter in the initial years mostly about either “Dirty Leeds” – our main rivals at the time, or our “loveable red cousins”).

And, against what might have seemed all the odds, it went on and on! NSF members graduated from Cambridge University, and progressed their careers but, every year, the NSF held an Annual General Dinner / AGM at (normally) a restaurant in Cambridge, which current and former NSF members attended. A post-dinner ritual was an 11-a-side match on Parkers’ Piece, kicking off at midnight in full kit. It was hardly School of Science due to the amount of ale drunk and the fact that all 22 players were in blue Everton shirts!

In the late 1970s, Martin Dobson succeeded Jimmy Husband as President. He took his duties seriously – so much so that he insisted on hosting a CUNSF annual dinner at Goodison. Not only that, Martin paid for the meal and drinks and brought along Bob Latchford and Duncan McKenzie too (see Martin and Bob, right with CUNSF member Chris Moody).

Numbers attending have varied over the years, but many of the former members went on to become “Captains of Industry” across the Globe, and some AGM meetings have been attended by persons flying in from America, Japan, and all manner of foreign parts!

But none of us have forgotten our roots. All Evertonians. All ready to have a bevvy and a good laugh and discuss / reminisce about all things Everton.

The current President is Joe Royle, who was recently nominated for election and accepted the nomination particularly as a nod to the continuity of the era of the foundation of the NSF (Joe in his pomp as a player) and the current EFC setup with Joe heavily involved.

As it will be the 50th anniversary of the founding of the NSF in 2018, we will be holding our anniversary AGM & Dinner on 8 September 2018.

Although we have managed to keep in touch with many of the former graduate members of the NSF, we have lost contact with others. Some are characters of legend with whom we would like to re-establish contact, particularly with a view to their attending the 2018 Anniversary AGM Dinner.

So, if any of you guys / ladies (you will know who you are) are reading this, please log onto our Facebook page “Cambridge University Everton Supporters Club” and get in touch. Alternatively, contact CUNSF Secretary Dave Rusk on 07710 238257 or email Dave at daverusk@compuserve.com

And for new Cambridge students who are Everton supporters and who are about to “Go Up” to Cambridge (I know, for most people from Liverpool, going to Cambridge is “going down” South, but humour us) please also get in touch so that we can extend our membership to the next generation.

Come on You Blues!!!

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