The 2016–17 season was Colchester United's 80th season in their history and their first season competing in League Two following their relegation from League One in the 2015–16 season. It was their first season in the fourth tier of English football for 18-years. Along with competing in League Two, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
Distinct changes in form and a series of lengthy squad injuries dictated Colchester's season. Many first-team players found themselves ruled out by injury, including Matthew Briggs, Kurtis Guthrie, Denny Johnstone, Frankie Kent, Lewis Kinsella, Doug Loft, Luke Prosser, Craig Slater, and Sammie Szmodics. Early season promise faded in late September with a winless run that stretched to the end of November. A turn in fortunes saw the U's win seven out of eight league games through December into January, earning John McGreal the December League Two Manager of the Month award. They again suffered patchy form from January onwards until a late push for the play-offs saw a return to form in April. Colchester fell just one point short of a play-off place on the final day of the League Two season, finishing in eighth position.
In the cup competitions, the U's were defeated in the first round of the EFL Cup and FA Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion and Chesterfield respectively, while they finished bottom of their group in the revamped EFL Trophy competition.
Season overview
Preseason Colchester United announced their retained list on 20 May 2016. Darren Ambrose, Joe Edwards, Tosin Olufemi, Elliot Parish, Nicky Shorey and Marvin Sordell would all be leaving after the club decided to not renew their contracts following relegation to League Two. Three Academy products, Marley Andrews, Kieran Bailey and Tyler Brampton, would also leave the club upon the expiry of their deals.
Maldon & Tiptree's Ben Wyatt became Colchester's first signing of the season on 23 May when he signed a one-year contract with the club. On 25 May, Drey Wright signed a new one-year deal with the club. The following day, Jack Curtis became the second out-of-contract player to sign a new deal.
The club confirmed their first three pre-season friendlies on 31 May. Colchester would first take on Maldon & Tiptree on 9 July, then host Ipswich Town on 20 July, before a trip to Chelmsford City on 23 July.
On 2 June, Dillon Barnes committed his future to the club by signing a three-year deal. Colchester's League Two rivals Leyton Orient signed Gavin Massey for an undisclosed fee from the club on 8 June. Colchester's next transfer dealings came on 21 June, when Sammie Szmodics signed a new three-year contract with the club. Following this came news that former Southend United defender Luke Prosser had signed a two-year deal with the club after being released by Southend. Two players also left the club the same day, with Alex Gilbey joining Championship side Wigan Athletic after an undisclosed fee was agreed for the out-of-contract player, while George Moncur joined fellow Championship club Barnsley for reported fee of £500,000.
Colchester made their third and fourth summer signings on 28 June, bringing in Scottish striker Denny Johnstone from Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee, and Courtney Senior from Brentford on a free transfer. This followed news that Academy graduate Macauley Bonne had signed a two-year contract extension on 22 June.
Having spent the second half of the previous season on trial from Chelmsford City, defender Dexter Peter joined the club on a one-year contract on 29 June. Following Peter in joining Colchester was former Gillingham wide player Brennan Dickenson. Dickenson signed a two-year contract after his release from Gillingham. The following day, four under-18 players signed one-year development contracts with the club. Committing were defender JJ Wilson, midfielder and brother of Drey Wright, Diaz Wright, winger George Brown, and forward Decarrey Sheriff.
On 1 July, Colchester signed another ex-Gillingham player as Doug Loft joined on a two-year contract. On 4 July, Cameron James and Tariq Issa both signed new four-year deals with the club just one year after agreeing contracts until 2019. The following day, Colchester's longest serving player Tom Eastman signed a one-year contract extension.
Kurtis Guthrie became John McGreal's eighth summer signing on 6 July when he joined on a two-year contract from National League side Forest Green Rovers for an undisclosed fee. This followed news that Jamie Harney had agreed a new one-year deal with the club. On 7 July, Femi Akinwande became the final out-of-contract player to agree a new deal with the club, signing a new one-year deal. Later the same day, Colchester announced the arrival of midfielder Craig Slater from Kilmarnock for an undisclosed fee.
Colchester played their pre-season friendly fixture on 9 July away to Maldon & Tiptree. Two different sides turned out for either half, with Dexter Peter's effort separating the two teams at the interval. Former U's player Jamie Cureton turned out as a trialist for the Jammers for the second half. Colchester doubled their advantage through Macauley Bonne in the final ten minutes, before Matthew Briggs sealed the 3–0 victory late on.
In their second pre-season friendly, Szmodics scored a hat-trick against Needham Market with Chris Porter converting from the penalty spot in a 4–1 win for Colchester on 12 July. Their next fixture was a match against Welsh side Airbus UK Broughton while attending a training camp in Cheshire. Goals from Porter, Guthrie and a deflected Drey Wright shot were enough to hand the U's a 3–2 victory on 14 July.
Colchester's first home friendly was the regular pre-season fixture between the U's and neighbours Ipswich Town. Brett Pitman scored the only goal of the game to hand the visitors victory on 20 July. Another Szmodics hat-trick and Macauley Bonne's second goal of pre-season proved to be the difference between Colchester and Chelmsford City as they earned another 4–1 win on 23 July.
Premier League opposition visited the Colchester Community Stadium on 25 July with the visit of Crystal Palace. A Jordon Mutch goal separated the two sides as Colchester put in a strong performance but could not find the back of the net.
Ahead of their final pre-season friendly against Southend, the U's signed former Aston Villa defender Lewis Kinsella on a one-year contract. Colchester lost their game against Southend 2–0 on 30 July.
John McGreal appointed Luke Prosser as the new club captain on 4 August ahead of the season-opening fixture against Hartlepool United.
League Two
August Colchester began the campaign away to Hartlepool United on 6 August. Tom Eastman scored inside five minutes to put Colchester ahead, but new signing Craig Slater brought down Nathan Thomas in the box and Billy Paynter converted the resulting penalty after 27-minutes to level the scores. The score remained the same in the second half in a game which saw a competitive debut for five Colchester players.
In the second week of the new league season, Colchester earned their first win of the campaign and John McGreal's first as manager as the U's won 2–0 at home against Cambridge United on 13 August. The goals came from Brennan Dickenson and Denny Johnstone, both goals being each player's first for the club. Dickenson's performance earned him a place in the English Football League Team of the Week for all three divisions. The same day, the club completed two transfer deals to assist the development squad. Young left-back JJ Wilson joined Maldon & Tiptree on loan for one month, while former Barnet trainee full-back Brendan Ocran signed a one-year development contract. Also leaving on loan was Jack Curtis, who joined Needham Market for one month, while George Elokobi was made available for loan.
In Colchester's first midweek game of the season on 16 August, the U's rushed to a 3–0 first-half lead over Grimsby Town at the Community Stadium. Brennan Dickenson scored his third goal in two games with a brace of goals in the 10th and 39th-minutes, separated by Kurtis Guthrie's first goal for the club. Grimsby fought back with an early second-half goal, and then pulled another goal back in the third minute of second-half stoppage time for a 3–2 result. Dickenson was named in the EFL Team of the Week for the second successive week as a result of his performance.
The U's were defeated 2–0 at Fratton Park on 20 August as Gary Roberts scored a brace for Portsmouth. A goal and assist from Chris Porter gave Colchester a 2–0 away victory at Wycombe Wanderers on 27 August with Sammie Szmodics also registering his first goal of the season.
Colchester bolstered their under-23 ranks with the signing of Welsh youth international Rhys Williams on 29 August. The club made two transfer deadline day loan signings of winger Tarique Fosu from Reading until 7 January 2017, and midfielder Glen Kamara for the same period.
It was announced on 6 September that John McGreal and Brennan Dickenson were in contention to win the League Two 'Manager of the Month' and 'Player of the Month' awards respectively.
September After the English Football League transfer window had closed, National League side Lincoln City signed Macauley Bonne on loan initially until 26 October on 2 September.
Colchester's unbeaten home record for the season was ended by visitors Exeter City on 3 September. Robbie Simpson opened the scoring for Exeter after eight minutes, but Sammie Szmodics equalised with his second goal in as many league games after 13-minutes. The U's went ahead seven minutes from half-time when Kurtis Guthrie also scored his second goal of the season. However, Colchester conceded two second-half goals without reply to consign them to a 3–2 defeat.
After failing to break into Colchester's first-team squad, defender Jamie Harney's contract was terminated by mutual consent on 9 September.
Colchester bounced back from their 3–2 defeat against Exeter with a 3–2 win against Blackpool at home on 10 September. The visitors took the lead, but Sammie Szmodics registered his third goal in three league games to equalise nine minutes prior to the break. The U's took the lead after 56-minutes from Chris Porter's close range shot. Porter scored again to put Colchester further in front with six minutes to go, before Blackpool pulled one back through Brad Potts in the 89th minute. Porter's performance earned him a place in the EFL 'Team of the Week'.
Colchester travelled to Barnet on 17 September for their first ever game at The Hive. Loanee Tarique Fosu scored his first goal for the club after six minutes, and lead for 76 minutes by this margin until Curtis Weston scored an equaliser for Barnet.
Accrington Stanley left the Weston Homes Community Stadium with three points on their first visit on 24 September after beating Colchester 2–1. Drey Wright had scored his first goal of the season after seven-minutes, but two second-half goals from Romauld Boco and Billy Kee condemned the U's to their third defeat of the season.
Closing September with their second trip of the season to Broadfield Stadium, Colchester came away with a point, an improvement on their performance in the EFL Trophy. The hosts had taken the lead after 18-minutes, but Chris Porter scored his fourth goal of the season to rescue a point in the 88th minute of the game.
October
Colchester stretched their winless run to four games on 1 October with a 2–0 defeat in their away trip to Carlisle United. George Elokobi was loaned out to Braintree Town on 4 October for one month. Colchester signed free agent Lloyd Doyley on 7 October after having been signed to Championship side Rotherham United during the 2015–16 campaign.