The 2015–16 season was Colchester United's 79th season in their history and their eighth consecutive season in League One, the third tier of English football. Along with competing in League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, League Cup and Football League Trophy. The club suffered relegation to League Two, the fourth tier of English football, for the first time in 18-years after finishing the season in 23rd position and in the relegation zone. Colchester made an early exit in the League Cup at the hands of Reading, while they made the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in ten years but were defeated by Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur 4–1.
The season was notable for managerial changes. Tony Humes began the season in charge, but after a string of successive defeats, he left by mutual consent in November. Richard Hall and John McGreal took temporary charge for one match before they were replaced by Wayne Brown. Kevin Keen took up the reins in December but was unable to transform the U's fortunes, and they were relegated under his stewardship. He left with two games of the season after relegation was confirmed, and his assistant David Wright was placed in the caretaker position. McGreal was then named Keen's permanent successor ahead of the final game of the season, but would not take charge until the season had ended. This meant McGreal's new assistant manager, Steve Ball, managed the side for the last game of 2015–16.
Season overview
Preseason Just two days after Colchester United had secured their League One status for another year, the club began making changes to its playing staff. Following his public disagreement with manager Tony Humes in February 2015 when substituted in the game against Doncaster Rovers, Sean Clohessy had his contract terminated just one year into his two-year deal, having made 37 appearances for the club and captained the side. Following him out the exit door was Dominic Smith, who made his one and only first-team appearance in Humes' first game in charge against Walsall in September 2014, following the expiry of his one-year deal.
Three players extended their contracts with Colchester on 8 May, with Jack Curtis, Byron Lawrence and Michael O'Donoghue all remaining with the club for a further year. After featuring for the club eight times during the 2014–15 season, recently released Rotherham United defender Richard Brindley held talks with Colchester with a view to joining the club on a permanent basis. It was then announced on 15 May that club captain Magnus Okuonghae would not be offered a new deal to remain with the club when his deal expired. Okuonghae, who had spent six years with the U's, played 215 games for the club, but a ruptured achilles tendon early in the previous campaign brought a premature end to his season. Tony Humes described Okuonghae as "an excellent servant to the club". Also leaving the Colchester Community Stadium was Colchester United influential sports scientist Dave Carolan, who headed to Birmingham City to take up a role as the head of sports science for the Championship club. Meanwhile, winger Dion Sembie-Ferris, who made his first-team debut against Cardiff City in the FA Cup third round last season, committed his future to the club by signing a new three-year deal.
Tony Humes continued his clear out of players in preparation for the new season. Leaving the club were winger Sanchez Watt, Jabo Ibehre and academy defender Kevin Lokko, who were all out of contract and out of favour under Humes. Colchester were also considering making offers to former loanees Elliott Hewitt and Matthew Briggs following their release from Ipswich Town and Millwall respectively, while they had also offered a new contract to David Fox following the expiry of his short-term deal with the club.
Richard Brindley became the first new signing of the summer on 2 June, joining from Rotherham after his release. He signed a two-year deal with the U's following his loan spell with the club at the end of the 2014–15 season. On 10 June, it was announced that former West Ham United youngster Kieran Bailey had signed a development contract with the club, after he had featured for John McGreal's under-21 squad during the closing stages of the 2014–15 season. Another former loanee signed up with the U's on a permanent basis on 22 June, with Matthew Briggs signing a two-year contract on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Millwall. Stand-in captain David Fox decided against signing a new contract with the U's in order to return to the North West of England where his family were situated in late June. Left-back Ben Gordon was allowed to leave the club on 1 July, having been displaced in the first-team by Matthew Briggs last season and his subsequent arrival on a permanent basis. He was one year into a two-year deal.
After rejecting a reduced-terms contract offer with Oldham Athletic, Colchester re-signed George Elokobi on a two-year contract on 3 July, having spent 2004 to 2008 with the U's. Colchester then announced the signing of former Yeovil Town midfielder and captain Joe Edwards on 6 July on a free transfer, joining on a one-year contract with an option of a further year.
After returning for pre-season training on 1 July, the players had their first friendly match at Scraley Road on 11 July against Heybridge Swifts. Humes fielded two different teams in either half, both scoring four and not conceding to hand the U's a comfortable 8–0 win. Chris Porter, who captained the side during the first-half, scored the opening goal after 24 minutes from a Richard Brindley cross. Brindley was again the provider for triallist Olly Lee to score the second soon after. Porter scored his second with a penalty after Dan Holman had been fouled in the area, before George Moncur rounded off the scoring for the first-half. Drey Wright scored from 30 yards to bring the score to 5–0 early in the second-half, with Macauley Bonne then finding the back of the net, and Sammie Szmodics lifting the ball over the onrushing Heybridge goalkeeper. Wright scored his second late on to seal the victory. Colchester played a similar format in their next friendly at Brentwood Town on 14 July, with the same team that played in the final 45 minutes of the win over Heybridge starting against Brentwood, with the only switch between Brindley and Tosin Olufemi. Gavin Massey scored the opening two goals, the first of which was a volley, and the second from a Szmodics pass. Szmodics then scored for himself, with Bonne registering his second of pre-season just one minute later. The U's went in at half-time 4–0 up, and the scores remained the same until the final whistle, with the entire team substituted at half-time for those that started against Heybridge.
After appearing in both of Colchester's pre-season friendlies, it was announced that second year scholar Cameron James had signed a four-year professional contract with the club. Joining the defender in signing was fellow scholar and forward Tariq Issa.
Colchester defeated Bishop's Stortford 3–2 on 18 July, coming from one goal down to win. After Sheldon Sellears opened the scoring for the home side, Colchester hit back through Jack Curtis after the interval. Dan Holman added the U's second, before Macauley Bonne scoring his third goal in three games to wrap up the win for the visitors. Kenzer Lee pulled a goal back for Stortford, but Colchester held on for the victory.
Chris Porter was announced as Colchester United's new club captain on 21 July, with Alex Gilbey his vice-captain. This news came ahead of Colchester's first home friendly of the season against West Ham. George Moncur converted a 13th minute free kick to hand the U's a 1–0 win over their Premier League counterparts. Goalkeeper Elliot Parish, who had appeared in all of Colchester's previous friendlies including a full 90 minutes against West Ham, signed a one-year contract with Colchester on 23 July to battle against both Chris Lewington and Sam Walker, who had missed all previous pre-season matches through injury. Development squad goalkeeper James Bransgrove had also been ruled out by injury until September.
The U's suffered their first defeat of pre-season on 25 July when they hosted Leyton Orient at the Community Stadium, losing 3–0 during a game which saw the return of Sam Walker from injury. In the penultimate friendly of pre-season, Colchester welcomed Ipswich to the Community Stadium for their now regular pre-season friendly. Town took the lead through Kévin Bru just before half-time, but Alex Gilbey equalised seven minutes after the restart with a well taken low shot. Ipswich again took the lead on 64 minutes with a penalty from David McGoldrick after Alex Wynter was judged to have handled the ball inside the box. However, Gilbey once again equalised for the U's with a shot from outside the box five minutes from full-time, but there was enough time for Colchester to grab a winner, with Gavin Massey heading the ball in on the line after Jack Curtis' shot had been deflected. The final pre-season friendly was at home to a Fulham XI on 1 August. Played in front of a crowd of just 642, Fulham earned a 1–0 win through Moussa Dembélé, while goalkeeper Sam Walker played 45 minutes in his comeback from injury.
Having been on trial with Colchester during 2014–15 pre-season, midfielder Darren Ambrose joined the club on a one-year contract on 6 August following his release from Ipswich. The final business prior to the start of the campaign came when youngsters Tyler Brampton and David Segura joined David Wright's Maldon & Tiptree on loan. Wide-player Brampton joined for three months, while Spanish forward Segura signed until January 2016.
League One
August
The U's kicked off their League One campaign at home to Blackpool on 8 August. The match saw the debuts of goalkeeper Elliot Parish, Joe Edwards and Darren Ambrose, a second debut for both Matthew Briggs and Richard Brindley, while Kane Vincent-Young was brought on with eleven minutes remaining to make his professional bow. The visitors took an 18th-minute lead through Mark Cullen, but their lead lasted only four minutes with a volley from Alex Gilbey. In first-half injury time, Cullen struck again to put Blackpool 2–1 ahead going into the break. Debutant Darren Ambrose rescued a point for the U's in the second half when he slotted home a Gavin Massey pass on 56 minutes to level the game at 2–2. Following his debut, Vincent-Young signed a two-year contract extension with the club on 14 August. Ahead of Colchester's second league game of the season, out of favour striker Dan Holman was sent out on a month-long loan to National League side Woking.
With Chris Porter ruled out through injury, Macauley Bonne was handed a start in his place for the U's trip to Peterborough United on 15 August. He scored the game's opening goal on 30 minutes, but the lead lasted just one minute before a Marcus Maddison equaliser levelled the scores. Three minutes later and Peterborough were ahead, with Maddison registering his second and proving to be the difference between the two sides. Kane Vincent-Young had more game time after replacing the injured Matthew Briggs prior to half-time in Colchester's 2–1 defeat. The U's followed up their defeat with a goalless draw against Oldham Athletic at the Community Stadium on 18 August.
Colchester's trip to Fleetwood Town on 22 August saw them concede two goals in either half without reply to continue their winless start to the season. Colchester boosted their ranks on 27 August with the signing of former Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town midfielder Owen Garvan on a short-term contract until January, before reinforcing the midfield further with the loan signing of Charlton Athletic winger Callum Harriott on loan until 2 January 2016.