After defeating Bournemouth, Cambridge United became unstoppable! In the following month, they won all three matches.
The team achieved an incredible nine-game winning streak across all competitions!
In the League standings, Cambridge United rapidly solidified their advantage, soaring to second place! After 22 rounds, they had accumulated 51 points!
In League round 23, Cambridge United would host Southend United, who were eighth in the standings.
If they could win this match, they would not only further extend their points advantage in the promotion zone but also break the team's historical winning streak record with a ten-game winning streak!
Although this record was just set by Huang Hao himself when he led the team last season!
Before the match began, Huang Hao did not put too much pressure on the players.
After all, winning streaks were fleeting, and as the final match of the first half of the League, he just wished the team good luck and hoped they could secure a victory!
At 3 PM, the match officially began at Abbey Stadium.
Amidst the cheers of over 6,500 spectators, Cambridge United firmly controlled the flow of the game, launching attack after attack on Southend United's goal.
The tenacious Southend United held out until the 40th minute of the first half, but ultimately could not withstand Cambridge United's relentless onslaught, and their goal was breached!
First, Grove took a corner kick from the right side of the box, Warren flicked it on with a header at the near post, and Lewandowski, seeing he had run past the landing spot, turned, leaned against Southend United defender Woakes, and executed an acrobatic overhead kick, sending the ball directly into the top right corner of the goal, opening the scoring for Cambridge United!
"Oh~~, what am I seeing? Lewandowski's absolutely stunning overhead kick has a real chance to compete for the Puskás Award," the match commentator exclaimed.
Just four minutes into the second half, Mark Bola, Grove, and Tadić, with just three one-touch passes, evaded Southend United's high press in their attacking third and advanced the ball to the left byline area of Southend United!
Then Tadić delivered a precise curving cross, directly passing the ball to Lewandowski in the center!
Lewandowski charged forward to meet the ball with a header, and the ball crashed into Southend United's goal.
The Polish youngster had started 7 times and made 11 substitute appearances in the English League One this season, scoring 11 goals, placing him sixth in the League One top scorers list at the halfway point!
He was behind his teammates Dzeko and Vardy, Leeds United's Bickford, Swansea's Paul Anderson, and Nottingham Forest's Grant Holt.
Ultimately, Cambridge United defeated Southend United 2-0 at home, breaking the team's historical winning streak record and achieving a magnificent ten-game winning streak!
In the League standings, Cambridge United held second place with 15 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses, a terrifying 55 goals scored, 27 goals conceded, and 50 points, just 4 points behind leaders Swansea!
At the post-match press conference, a BT Sport reporter asked Mr. Huang a question: "At the beginning of the season, everyone thought Cambridge United would be fighting for relegation, but after half a season, Cambridge United is surprisingly ranked second in the League.
Mr. Huang, how do you feel about this?"
Huang Hao smiled slightly and said:
"I checked the League One standings for the past two seasons and found that the points required for relegation were 49 and 50 points respectively."
"And today, after Cambridge United's victory, we have achieved 50 points, so I think Cambridge United should have successfully avoided relegation!"
"So, Mr. Huang, what are your and Cambridge United's plans next? Are you going to try for promotion?" The reporter felt unsatisfied and continued to ask.
"Promotion? That idea sounds good, I accept your suggestion."
Huang Hao smiled as he looked at the questioning reporter, indirectly announcing Cambridge United's goal for the season to the media.
If Huang Hao had said such words at the beginning of the season, everyone would have thought he was crazy.
With financial concerns and being a newly promoted team in League One, if they arrogantly declared they would seek promotion, it would likely make people laugh their heads off.
But today, Cambridge United stood proudly in second place in the League standings, a full 14 points ahead of Brighton, who were in seventh place!
Huang Hao had enough leverage to tell everyone that Cambridge United's goal this season was also not just to stay in League One!
"Huang Hao Promises: Cambridge United Will Be Promoted to the EFL Championship This Season!"
Lin Kexin, who originally had not much interest in football, actually bought a sports newspaper.
And seeing that man on the front page once again, a happy smile appeared on her face.
Lin Kexin carefully cut out the news about Huang Hao from the newspaper and pasted it into a notebook.
There were already many reports about Huang Hao inside.
Since seeing Huang Hao's passionate side on the field, she suddenly wanted to understand this man more.
In a flash, the winter transfer window began, and Cambridge United's official website also announced the signings of Oblak, Vida, and Lovren.
The team's contract renewal work was largely completed, with almost no resistance in negotiations.
Sager, due to his lingering injury after breaking his leg, had his return date indefinitely extended.
Sager voluntarily requested not to receive his salary to lighten the club's burden, which deeply moved Huang Hao.
As for new signings, the arrival of the three Arsenal youngsters greatly enhanced the team's combat strength.
Huang Hao planned to discuss extending their loan period with Arsenal until the end of the season.
He did not intend to make too many adjustments to the current squad, just appropriately supplementing the bench depth to prevent injuries to key players due to fatigue, which would basically complete the task.
But just then, the appearance of an old acquaintance in the latest player data provided by the scout brought Huang Hao's thoughts back to a year ago.
When Simmons' name appeared on the recommended list, Huang Hao's thoughts also returned to the summer a year ago.
In a small hotel next to Platt Fields Park in Manchester, Huang Hao first met Simmons and eventually brought him into his team.
Just half a season later, Simmons, who had started to make a name for himself on the field, could not resist the temptation of a higher-level League team and submitted a transfer request to Huang Hao, and he was very resolute.
Ultimately, Cambridge United had no choice but to sell Simmons to EFL Championship team Blackburn for a low price of 300,000 pounds.
Fans who did not know the truth even protested at the club until Huang Hao issued a statement, coupled with Tadić's rapid rise, which finally turned that page.
Huang Hao's initial worries about Simmons had now all become reality.
In his first season after joining Blackburn, Simmons only got a paltry 3 appearances, all as a substitute, with a total playing time of less than 40 minutes.
And this season, he had only received one League appearance and one League Cup appearance so far, with 0 goals.
Simmons had originally hoped to team up with his brother to create a legendary story in football, but this was all shattered by the cruel reality.
After using Okra Simmons to recruit his younger brother Kayndra Simmons, Okra Simmons did not even receive a contract renewal and left the team as a free agent in the summer, joining League One's Northampton.
In their first encounter this season, Northampton suffered a crushing 5-2 defeat at home to Cambridge United, and Okra Simmons witnessed the team's dismal performance from the bench.
Simmons, having endured a series of setbacks, recalled Huang Hao's advice at the time and had a sudden realization.
Unfortunately, having signed a two-year contract, the initiative was not in his hands.
Although he had Huang Hao's contact information, Simmons could not bring himself to speak.
In desperation, he could only contact Cambridge United scout Evans through his agent.
Huang Hao looked at Simmons's profile, which was basically unchanged from a year ago.
He had gained too little experience from matches in that year; it was a wasted year.
Huang Hao then sighed and put the data back on the table.
After thinking for a moment, Huang Hao dialed scout Evans's number.
"Hello, boss."
Evans quickly answered the phone.
"Hello, Evans. I've seen Kayndra's information."
Huang Hao always spoke simply and clearly with his employees.
"Have you communicated with Blackburn? How much do they want?"
"900,000 pounds, boss."
Huang Hao nearly spat out his coffee!
You bastard!
You bought him for 300,000 a year ago, he hasn't played two official matches, hasn't even scored a goal, and you're telling me you want 900,000?
Do you think I'm a fool?!
This isn't how you do export-to-domestic sales either.
"Alright, I wanted to tell you that he is not our team's target.
We already have Tadić, Bennett, and Lansbury."
"I understand, boss, which is why I didn't bring it up at the meeting."
Evans clearly understood Huang Hao's concerns.
"My team is not someone's lover, to come and go as they please."
"However, considering he once played for the team, you can relay a few words to his agent."
Evans was still pondering the boss's analogy of a lover, which was indeed quite creative.
Hearing the latter part, he quickly responded:
"Alright, boss, tell me."
"In China, there's a saying, 'A good horse doesn't eat Return to the Grass' (doesn't go back for old grass).
I hope he can look forward, forget his time at Cambridge United.
Finally, I wish him good luck."
After speaking, Huang Hao hung up the phone.
Huang Hao wasn't simply seeking revenge on Simmons.
If a player only views the club as a stepping stone, even if Huang Hao brought Simmons back to Abbey Stadium this time, who knows, one day, when he was fully fledged, he might knock on his office door again.
So, even if he was excellent, Cambridge United and his story had already ended.
And purely from a competitive standpoint, Simmons was suitable for League Two's Cambridge United, League One's Cambridge United, but not suitable for EFL Championship's Cambridge United.
Returning to the field, Cambridge United faced their last opponent before Christmas, Weymouth, a team from the sixth tier of English amateur football.
Weymouth had also been relatively lucky, encountering opponents of the same or lower League in the qualifying rounds and first round.
Unfortunately, this time they met Cambridge United.
Despite the team fielding an entirely reserve and youth team squad, Cambridge United still saw off their opponents 7-0 at home in the FA Cup.
Lewandowski scored four more goals, and Mahrez, Kante, Mings, and the newly acquired Lovren and Vida all got playing time.
Although the opponent was completely out of Cambridge United's League, for the over 2,500 fans in attendance, being able to enjoy a goal-fest was satisfying enough.
After the match, Li Jianqin suddenly ran over and asked Huang Hao where he planned to have fun for Christmas.
Huang Hao thought for a moment and replied:
"Christmas Eve, I should be spending it with Aldershot in the EFL Trophy.
And after Christmas, I should be spending it with Leyton Orient in the League One."
After speaking, he smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Damn it, there's no such thing as a Christmas break in England!
Li Jianqin listened, then wisely closed his mouth, and then wickedly said:
"Don't worry, I'll enjoy your share of happiness too!"
"Bastard, you're also a member of the club, I won't approve your holiday!" Huang Hao said resentfully.
Li Jianqin heard him, and without looking back, said, "Have you not figured out who's the boss here? I'm the major shareholder of the club."
"Sigh, why did I recruit a bad friend like you to be a major shareholder back then!"