The 2000–01 season was Colchester United's 59th season in their history and their third successive season in the third tier of English football, the Second Division. Alongside competing in the Second Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
The main story of the season was the sale of star striker Lomana LuaLua to Premier League side Newcastle United for £2.25m. The proceeds from the sale helped to secure the medium-term future of the club.
Steve Whitton's first full season in charge of the U's ended with a minor improvement on last season with a 17th position finish. In the cups, it was a familiar story to the preceding seasons, with a first round exit in the Football League Trophy and a second round defeat to Sheffield United in the League Cup. Colchester were again dumped out of the FA Cup by non-League opposition when Yeovil Town thrashed them 5–1 in the first round.
Season overview After scoring 14 goals for Colchester in the previous season, the U's began to receive interest in Lomana LuaLua. After scoring a hat-trick against Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup, LuaLua made his transfer to Bobby Robson's Newcastle United for a fee of £2.25m in September. The deal proved to be a huge financial boost to the club that helped secure the medium-term future of Colchester United.
In the FA Cup, Colchester suffered another first round exit to non-League opposition when Yeovil Town comprehensively won 5–1 at Huish Park. In the Football League Trophy, Colchester lost in the first round to Cambridge United while Sheffield United beat the U's in the second round of the League Cup after the U's had overcome QPR in the first round.
In the league, Steve Whitton guided his side to 17th position, six points clear of the relegation places.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Simon BrownGKChelmsford410 Tottenham Hotspur20 July 1999Free transfer29Andy WoodmanGKCamberwell70 Brentford1 January 2001Free transfer30Glenn WilliamsonGKEnfield Town00Youth team1 August 1999Free transfer Defenders2Joe DunneFBDublin1394 Dover Athletic7 December 1999Nominal3Joe KeithFBPlaistow492 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer5Ross JohnsonCBBrighton180 Brighton & Hove Albion14 February 2000Free transfer6Simon ClarkCBBoston00 Leyton Orient8 June 2000Free transfer19Alan WhiteCBDarlington50 Luton Town16 July 2000Free transfer26Scott FitzgeraldCB Westminster00 Millwall19 October 2000Free transfer Midfielders4Gavin JohnsonMFEye270 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer7Karl DuguidMFLetchworth14923Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer8David GregoryMFSudbury20925 Peterborough United8 December 1995Free transfer14Chris KeebleMFColchester51 Ipswich Town23 March 2000Free transfer15Thomas PinaultMFGrasse50 AS Cannes1 July 1999Free transfer17Andy ArnottMFChatham120 Brighton & Hove Albion1 November 1999Part exchange18Aaron SkeltonMF/DFWelwyn Garden City9211 Luton Town3 July 1997Free transfer20Mick StockwellMFChelmsford00 Ipswich Town23 July 2000Free transfer22Sam OkaforMFXtiam10Youth team1 August 1998Free transfer23Matt HearnMFBarking00Youth team1 July 2000Free transfer24Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapel20 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer Forwards9Scott McGleishFWChipping Barnet176 Barnet12 January 2001£15,00010Steve McGavinFWNorth Walsham16763 Northampton Town1 October 1999Free transfer21Keith ScottFWWestminster51 Reading19 March 2001Free transfer27Dean MorganFW Edmonton00Youth team1 August 2000Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.8 June 2000CBSimon Clark Leyton OrientFree transfer1 July 2000MFMatt HearnYouth teamFree transfer16 July 2000CBAlan White Luton TownFree transfer23 July 2000MFMick Stockwell Ipswich TownFree transfer1 August 2000FWDean MorganYouth teamFree transfer18 August 2000MFAdam Tanner Peterborough UnitedFree transfer19 October 2000CBScott Fitzgerald MillwallFree transfer1 January 2001GKAndy Woodman BrentfordFree transfer12 January 2001FWScott McGleish Barnet£15,00019 March 2001FWKeith Scott ReadingFree transfer13 April 2001MFKemal Izzet Charlton AthleticFree transfer Total spending: ~ £15,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonFBAndy TaylorFree agentReleased31 May 2000CBCraig Farley Chesham UnitedReleased31 May 2000FWJamie Moralee Barry TownReleased31 May 2000MFAdrian Webster Faversham TownReleased7 July 2000CBDavid Greene Cardiff CityFree transfer19 September 2000FWLomana LuaLua Newcastle United£2,250,0007 December 2000FWKK Opara Leyton OrientNominal26 December 2000MFJason Dozzell Canvey IslandReleased21 January 2001MFAdam Tanner Canvey IslandReleased1 February 2001DFSean HillierFree agentReleased16 February 2001CBJack Wignall Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased22 March 2001FWTony Lock Dagenham & RedbridgeReleased Total incoming: ~ £2,250,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.6 October 2000FWMark Nicholls Chelsea6 November 200012 October 2000FWKeith Scott Reading12 November 20008 November 2000FWBarry Conlon York City8 May 200110 November 2000GKAndy Woodman Brentford31 December 200022 March 2001DF/MFShaun Byrne West Ham United22 April 200122 March 2001MFKemal Izzet Charlton Athletic12 April 2001
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.22 March 2001MFSam Okafor Dartford8 May 2001
Match details
Second Division
League table
Results round by round
Matches
Football League Cup
FA Cup
Football League Trophy
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total120MFMick Stockwell1100011228FWBarry Conlon8000837MFKarl Duguid5100618MF/DFAaron Skelton6000659FWLomana LuaLua203059FWScott McGleish5000573FBJoe Keith300038MFDavid Gregory3000310FWSteve McGavin20103104MFGavin Johnson2000217FWTony Lock20002122FBJoe Dunne1000114MFChris Keeble1000115MFThomas Pinault1000124MFKemal Izzet1000121FWKeith Scott10001Own goals10001TOTALS5514060
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total6CBSimon Clark810000008119CBAlan White61001000712FBJoe Dunne40100000504MFGavin Johnson50000000507MFKarl Duguid50000000509FWLomana LuaLua400000004017FWTony Lock110000001118MF/DFAaron Skelton300000003026CBScott Fitzgerald30000000303FBJoe Keith20000000208MFDavid Gregory200000002011MFJason Dozzell200000002028FWBarry Conlon20000000201GKSimon Brown10000000105CBRoss Johnson10000000109FWScott McGleish100000001014MFChris Keeble100000001020MFMick Stockwell100000001021MFAdam Tanner100000001024MFKemal Izzet100000001029GKAndy Woodman1000000010TOTALS553101000573
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total129Andy Woodman8000821Simon Brown40004TOTALS1200012
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes6CBSimon Clark12 August 2000Swindon TownCounty Ground19CBAlan White12 August 2000Swindon TownCounty Ground20MFMick Stockwell12 August 2000Swindon TownCounty Ground21MFAdam Tanner12 September 2000BuryGigg Lane24FWMark Nicholls6 October 2000WalsallLayer Road25FWKeith Scott14 October 2000Port ValeVale Park26CBScott Fitzgerald21 October 2000Cambridge UnitedLayer Road27FWDean Morgan4 November 2000Northampton TownLayer Road28FWBarry Conlon11 November 2000ReadingMadejski Stadium29GKAndy Woodman11 November 2000ReadingMadejski Stadium9FWScott McGleish13 January 2001Oldham AthleticBoundary Park29GKAndy Woodman13 January 2001Oldham AthleticBoundary Park21FWKeith Scott20 March 2001Swindon TownLayer Road24MFKemal Izzet31 March 2001Luton TownLayer Road24MFKemal Izzet14 April 2001Bristol RoversMemorial Stadium
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific