The 2008–09 season was Colchester United's 67th season in their history and first season back in the third tier of English football following relegation, League One. Alongside competing in League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
Colchester returned to League One following relegation from the Championship last season. It was also their first season in their new home the Colchester Community Stadium after moving from Layer Road over the summer. It took them until October to register their first home victory by beating Carlisle United 5–0, but by this time the club had already seen managerial changes. After a poor start to the season in which the U's found themselves sporadically in the relegation zone, Geraint Williams was sacked and Paul Lambert was brought in as his replacement in early October. Colchester had a good mid-season run from November through January but had to settle for a mid-table finish come the end of the season.
Colchester were eliminated from the FA Cup at the first round stage by Leyton Orient, while rivals Ipswich Town beat the U's at Portman Road in the second round of the League Cup. They made the area semi-final of the Football League Trophy where they lost out to Luton Town.
Season overview Following relegation from the Championship, Colchester experienced a summer of great change. Club stalwart Karl Duguid left the club to remain in the Championship with Plymouth Argyle, while top scorer Kevin Lisbie joined neighbours Ipswich Town for £600,000. To replace him, Geraint Williams once again broke the club's transfer record, signing Cheltenham Town forward Steven Gillespie for £400,000. Construction on the Colchester Community Stadium had completed and the moving process from Layer Road was underway during the summer months.
The first event to be held at the new stadium was a ramp-up exhibition game against Spanish side Athletic Bilbao on 4 August. Scott Vernon had the honour of scoring Colchester's first goal at their new home as 5,610 witnessed the 2–1 defeat for the U's.
The first ever league fixture came on 16 August when Colchester were held to a 0–0 draw against Huddersfield Town. Mark Yeates was the first competitive goalscorer at the Community Stadium, scoring both goals in a 2–2 draw with Oldham Athletic on 30 August. United couldn't find a win at home, and following a 3–0 defeat at the Stadium by Milton Keynes Dons, Williams was relieved of his duties with a record of one league win from six games and the club in the bottom four.
Assistant manager Kit Symons took charge for four games before Paul Lambert was unveiled as the new Colchester manager in early October. They earned their first home victory of the season on 25 October, a resounding 5–0 win over Carlisle United. Lambert brought in numerous loan players, including Marc Tierney and Jimmy Walker while also signing Alan Maybury.
In December, long-serving Chief Executive Marie Partner left the club as Robbie Cowling shuffled his boardroom, bringing in Steve Bradshaw to the position. Partner had spent over 21 years with the club. Cowling would soon buy out all remaining shares in the club.
The club earned back-to-back wins for the first time in 19 months as they beat Yeovil Town and Northampton Town to set up a run across the New Year of nine games unbeaten. A run of ten wins and four draws from 18 games eventually earned Lambert the January League One Manager of the Month award as the U's rose to seven points off the play-off positions.
Lambert made further late season loan signings by bringing in Karl Hawley, Neal Trotman and Ashley Vincent. However, with the play-offs on the horizon, Colchester's form took a downturn as they lost six of the remaining nine home games, including consecutive defeats in the final four home games. A club record attendance was set on 4 April, when 9,599 witnessed a 1–0 win for Leeds United at the Community Stadium. This was the highest attendance for a home league game since 20 April 1974 in a 2–0 defeat by Gillingham.
Colchester ended the season in 12th position, 13 points off a play-off place. They had endured their worst-ever home season, suffering twelve defeats, while they also enjoyed their best-ever away season, registering eleven victories on the road.
In the cup competitions, Colchester returned to the Football League Trophy by reaching the southern section semi-final, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Luton Town. They were beaten by Ipswich Town 2–1 in the second round of the League Cup at Portman Road, while Leyton Orient won in the first round of the FA Cup.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Dean GerkenGKSouthend-on-Sea1020Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer23Mark CousinsGKChelmsford20Youth team1 August 2004Free transfer Defenders2John WhiteFBColchester1050Youth team1 July 2003Free transfer3Matt LockwoodLBRochford00 Nottingham Forest3 June 2008Free transfer5Chris CoyneCBBrisbane161 Luton Town10 January 2008£350,0006Paul ReidCBCarlisle00 Barnsley2 July 2008Free transfer12Pat BaldwinCBCity of London1771 Chelsea16 August 2002Free transfer16Matt HeathCBLeicester50 Leeds United13 May 2008Free transfer18Philip IfilRBWillesden200 Tottenham Hotspur10 January 2008Undisclosed19Alan MayburyFBDublin00 Leicester City12 December 2008Free transfer32Marc TierneyFBPrestwich60 Shrewsbury Town2 January 2009Undisclosed Midfielders4Johnnie JacksonMFCamden Town899 Tottenham Hotspur20 June 2006Free transfer8Dean HammondMFHastings130 Brighton & Hove Albion31 January 2008£250,00010Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapel28720 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer17David PerkinsMFHeysham00 Rochdale8 July 2008Undisclosed27Anthony WordsworthMFCamden Town40Youth team1 July 2006Free transfer34Sam CorcoranMFEnfield Town00Youth team31 March 2009Free transfer Forwards7Steven GillespieFWLiverpool00 Cheltenham Town7 July 2008£400,0009Clive PlattFWWolverhampton428 Milton Keynes Dons3 July 2007£300,00011Mark YeatesWGDublin8314 Tottenham Hotspur3 July 2007Undisclosed14Akanni-Sunday WasiuFWAbuja00 St Albans City24 July 2008Free transfer15Jamie GuyFWBarking543Youth team1 July 2004Free transfer22Simon HackneyWGManchester00 Carlisle United26 January 2009£100,00024Scott VernonFWManchester246 Blackpool31 January 2008Undisclosed30Medy ElitoWG Kinshasa111Youth team1 July 2007Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.13 May 2008CBMatt Heath Leeds UnitedFree transfer3 June 2008LBMatt Lockwood Nottingham ForestFree transfer2 July 2008CBPaul Reid BarnsleyFree transfer7 July 2008FWSteven Gillespie Cheltenham Town£400,0008 July 2008MFDavid Perkins RochdaleUndisclosed24 July 2008FWAkanni-Sunday Wasiu St Albans CityFree transfer12 December 2008FBAlan Maybury Leicester CityFree transfer2 January 2009FBMarc Tierney Shrewsbury TownUndisclosed26 January 2009WGSimon Hackney Carlisle United£100,00031 March 2009MFSam CorcoranYouth teamFree transfer Total spending: ~ £500,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.31 May 2008DFTom DevauxFree agentReleased31 May 2008FWTeddy SheringhamFree agentRetired1 June 2008GKAidan DavisonFree agentRetired3 June 2008WGKevin McLeod Brighton & Hove AlbionReleased24 June 2008MFKarl Duguid Plymouth ArgyleUndisclosed30 June 2008GKAdemola BankoleFree agentRetired30 June 2008FBDanny Granville Leyton OrientReleased30 June 2008MFLuke Guttridge Northampton TownReleased30 June 2008FWTom Webb Glenn Hoddle AcademyReleased18 July 2008FWKevin Lisbie Ipswich Town£600,0001 August 2008MFKevin Watson Luton TownReleased6 March 2009FWFabian Batchelor Grays AthleticReleased6 March 2009DFJames HammondFree agentReleased Total incoming: ~ £600,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.25 September 2008LBGary Borrowdale Coventry City12 October 20083 November 2008FWSam Williams Aston Villa29 January 200913 November 2008LBLee Hills Coventry City13 December 200820 November 2008FWJermaine Easter Plymouth Argyle20 December 200827 November 2008FBMarc Tierney Shrewsbury Town1 January 200927 November 2008GKJimmy Walker West Ham United28 February 200915 January 2009WGLewis Gobern Wolverhampton Wanderers31 May 200919 March 2009CBNeal Trotman Preston North End19 April 200919 March 2009WGAshley Vincent Cheltenham Town31 May 200920 March 2009FWKarl Hawley Preston North End31 May 2009
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.10 July 2008FWJamie Guy Oxford United3 February 200924 November 2008DFJames Hammond Fisher Athletic24 December 200815 January 2009FWAkanni-Sunday Wasiu Luton Town15 February 20092 February 2009LBMatt Lockwood Barnet7 April 20092 March 2009CBMatt Heath Brighton & Hove Albion7 April 20093 March 2009FWJamie Guy Dagenham & Redbridge31 May 2009
Match details
League One
League table
Results round by round
Matches
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
FA Cup
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Number Nationality Position Name League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total111WGMark Yeates120011329FWClive Platt1000010317MFDavid Perkins5001647FWSteven Gillespie401058MFDean Hammond5000564MFJohnnie Jackson4000424FWScott Vernon40004827MFAnthony Wordsworth30003914FWAkanni-Sunday Wasiu2000226FWJermaine Easter20002116CBPaul Reid1000110MFKemal Izzet1000116CBMatt Heath0010120FWSam Williams0001121WGAshley Vincent1000132FBMarc Tierney10001Own goals30003TOTALS5802363
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total8MFDean Hammond90000000909FWClive Platt701000008010MFKemal Izzet600000006019FBAlan Maybury000000106027MFAnthony Wordsworth50000010606CBPaul Reid40001000507FWSteven Gillespie210000002111WGMark Yeates40100000505CBChris Coyne300010004016CBMatt Heath200010104032FBMarc Tierney40000000402FBJohn White20000010304MFJohnnie Jackson300000003012CBPat Baldwin300000003018RBPhilip Ifil20000010301GKDean Gerken200000002022WGSimon Hackney200000002026FWJermaine Easter20000000203LBMatt Lockwood100000001014FWAkanni-Sunday Wasiu100000001017MFDavid Perkins100000001020CBNeal Trotman100000001026WGLewis Gobern100000001030WGMedy Elito0000001010TOTALS721203060831
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total11Dean Gerken51006221Jimmy Walker5000523Mark Cousins20035TOTALS1210316
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes3LBMatt Lockwood9 August 2008Hartlepool UnitedVictoria Park6CBPaul Reid9 August 2008Hartlepool UnitedVictoria Park7FWSteven Gillespie9 August 2008Hartlepool UnitedVictoria Park14FWAkanni-Sunday Wasiu9 August 2008Hartlepool UnitedVictoria Park16CBMatt Heath12 August 2008GillinghamPriestfield Stadium17MFDavid Perkins26 August 2008Ipswich TownPortman Road19LBGary Borrowdale26 September 2008Tranmere RoversPrenton Park20FWSam Williams4 November 2008AFC BournemouthDean Court25LBLee Hills15 November 2008WalsallColchester Community Stadium26FWJermaine Easter22 November 2008Peterborough UnitedLondon Road Stadium21GKJimmy Walker29 November 2008Northampton TownSixfields Stadium32FBMarc Tierney29 November 2008Northampton TownSixfields Stadium19FBAlan Maybury13 December 2008Leeds UnitedElland Road26WGLewis Gobern17 January 2009Cheltenham TownColchester Community Stadium32FBMarc Tierney24 January 2009Bristol RoversMemorial Stadium22WGSimon Hackney27 January 2009Northampton TownColchester Community Stadium20CBNeal Trotman21 March 2009Leicester CityWalkers Stadium28FWKarl Hawley21 March 2009Leicester CityWalkers Stadium21WGAshley Vincent4 April 2009Leeds UnitedColchester Community Stadium34MFSam Corcoran18 April 2009Hereford UnitedEdgar Street
See also