Colchester United have parted company with their manager Mick Wadsworth immediately after crashing out of the Worthington Cup at Crystal Palace.

A veil of secrecy surrounded the Division Two club yesterday, but Wadsworth is no longer in charge of team affairs at Layer Road.

He and assistant manager Steve Whitton were summoned to a meeting with U's chairman Peter Heard in London only hours before Tuesday night's 3-1 (5-3 on aggregate) Worthington Cup defeat at Crystal Palace where both men took their usual places in the dugout.

The team coach's departure for home was delayed by up to half-an-hour after the match because Whitton was called into another meeting.

It is my understanding Whitton is now in charge of team affairs and the club is not looking for a replacement.

Whitton was not available for comment yesterday.

When asked if he had left the club, Wadsworth replied: "No - I am in my office at Layer Road. I cannot say anything else."

Attempts to clarify the situation were stonewalled by the club's directors and other officials.

But sources close to the club confirmed Wadsworth was no longer the manager and that Whitton is now permanently in charge of team affairs.

The shock news of Wadsworth's departure comes close on the heels of the sudden resignation of his chief Layer Road ally, managing director Stephen Gage, two weeks ago.

Gage also quit following a hastily-arranged emergency board meeting on the eve of the U's opening game of the season at Chesterfield.

Unrest has been brewing behind the scenes at Layer Road for a number of weeks and it is no secret Wadsworth has been frustrated in his attempts to bring in more new players.

His departure follows a run of three hefty defeats in which the U's have conceded ten goals while scoring only one.

No longer managing Colchester United - Mick Wadsworth,/STRONG>

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