Colchester United Season Preview 2021/22: Buying local

Last season Colchester owner Robbie Cowling decided it was prudent, given the pandemic and lack of matchday income, to make some cut-backs. It turned out he was right all along, but only just.

The chairman was very honest in his assessment of the decisions he made and always said they would be judged on whether the U’s stayed up or not.

It was a close run thing but thanks to a vital win in the second Essex derby of the season, Hayden Mullins did just enough to guide his team over the line.

Staying in the fourth tier by six points is nothing to brag about and, in truth, it was an awful season for the side heralding from a town that was once Camulodunum, the first major Roman city in Britain. They will need to summon their inner gladiators to avoid another limp showing this year, something that Mullins is unlikely to allow.

Colchester have thrived when their talented youth production is backed up with some seasoned professionals to guide them through the ups and downs of a 46-game League Two calendar.

It already looks as though this model will be used in 2021/22, so expect a big improvement.

Colchester’s locale makes it easy for them to pick off players released by Suffolk outfit Ipswich Town, in fact, they have often done this in the past, but this season they are leaning more heavily on those deemed surplus to requirement by the Tractor Boys. Good to see clubs supporting the local economy.

Will it work? Time, of course, will decide but this team already looks a lot better than it did going into the 2020/21 season and that should be telling.

The Squad

The Colchester squad is nicely balanced this season. There is a mixture of young talent and experienced heads, many of who have played at a higher level. There are at least six former Ipswich men, four are new signings having joined this summer.

Of the new boys, Alan Judge feels like a really good capture and at 32 he still has plenty to offer while both Luke Chambers and Cole Skuse could be big players with a lot of experience, especially after Harry Pell’s exit.

Frank Nouble is back for good, a man whose infections personality played a big part in keeping the U’s out of the drop zone last season, and he’ll be joined in attack by another ex-Tractor Boy in Freddie Sears.

Luke Hannant is a solid signing from rivals Cambridge, a team he helped win promotion last season and Shamal George should continue to push Dean Gerken for his No1 spot.

Of the youngsters, Noah Chilvers was excellent in 2020/21 despite the poor campaign of the team as a whole. Ryan Clampin is developing into a really solid full-back and, hopefully, Kwame Poku can bounce back after a subdued season last year.

Newcomer to watch: Cameron Coxe

The Welsh U21 international is an intriguing addition for ColU. He may not have the pedigree of Alan Judge but his performances at Solihull last season certainly caught the eye.

He can play anywhere down the right but if utilised further forward, his direct running and crossing ability could really shine through. It’s not often a player is loaned to a club in a higher division, especially on a two-year deal, so this one is worth keeping an eye on.

Verdict

Let’s be honest, it can’t get much worse than last season nor should it. Hayden Mullins has assembled a squad that, on paper, looks like it will be a lot more competitive. Perhaps play-offs are too much to hope for but big improvements should be the least fans expect and a top-half finish is not unrealistic.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football