Steve Wignall is one of only five managers to guide Colchester United to promotion in their Football League history.

Benny Fenton, the late Neil Franklin, Jim Smith and Bobby Roberts are the other four. Three former Layer Road icons - Smith, Roberts and the legendary Dick Graham - told FRANCIS PONDER why Wignall is right up there at the top of the tree.

Steve Wignall is right up there at the top as one of the finest Colchester United managers ever.

That's the verdict from Layer Road icon Dick Graham, the man who masterminded the U's historic 1971 FA Cup win as a humble Fourth Division club over mighty Leeds United - arguably the greatest team in Europe at the time.

"I don't have to justify Steve's achievements - his record speaks for itself!" said Graham, who is still a regular visitor to Layer Road on matchdays.

"What he has achieved on a limited budget in the lower divisions is on a par with what Alex Ferguson and other Premiership managers have achieved with millions at their fingertips to spend.

"To do what Steve has done in such a short time - two Wembley finals, two promotion play-offs and just missing out on the play-offs again by a point - is a fantastic feat.

"In my book he's right up there at the top alongside Jim Smith who steered the club from Division Four to Three 25 years ago and has since gone on to greater things.

"If Steve had achieved with a more fashionable club what he's achieved with Colchester United he would already have been chased by a lot of bigger clubs - I'm sure of that.

"He will go on to better things - in fact I'm surprised he hasn't moved on already! I know just how hard it is to win promotion with a small club such as Colchester - I got very near to it twice, but that's as close as I got.

"In my view Steve Wignall has been like a breath of fresh air to Colchester football. He'll survive because he's a very good manager

"He's not a demonstrative type of manager, by that I mean he doesn't seek self publicity and he doesn't slag off his players in public and in the Press.

"To me he's a very straight and honest guy - a manager who is capable of pulling something out of the fire.

"I know I couldn't do what he's done - especially in today's climate of players agents and all sorts of other meddling people.

"I don't think I could have lived with that. Things were bad enough in my day. I had to laugh to myself the other day when I saw Steve was trying to sign a new player for £15,000.

"That's what life is all about in small clubs like Colchester - you are always scratching and scraping about trying to unearth a world-beater.

"Colchester United has got a good young manager in Steve Wignall and I urge the fans to stay 100 per cent behind him and the team as they set about the difficult task of establishing themselves in the Second Division." Steve has done a great job, says Smith

Colchester United gave current Derby County boss Jim Smith his first taste of Football League management after an apprenticeship with non-league minnows Boston United.

And Smith firmly believes Wignall's managerial career could also take off after his "fantastic" achievements with non-league Aldershot and the U's.

"Steve has done a magnificent job at Layer Road," said Smith, "because without a shadow of doubt working in the lower divisions is getting harder and harder by the season.

"The expectations of the fans are forever mounting, but Steve has clearly done a great job with little room to manoeuvre and little cash to throw around.

"When I was at Colchester I was able to go into the non-leagues and pull out players of the calibre of Bobby Svarc and John Froggatt.

"You can't do that sort of thing these days - little clubs want massive fees for their players. The fans have got to be patient and all Steve has to do is carry on doing what he has been doing.

"He's done a great job for the club so far and given the chance I'm sure there can be even more success to come!" Bobby Roberts: I knew I had a real gem when he joined

Bobby Roberts knew he had signed a winner the moment he paid Doncaster Rovers £5,000 22 years ago to bring centre-half Steve Wignall to the U's as a player.

"Steve definitely had captaincy qualities when I signed him," said Roberts.

"He was a talker on the pitch and I always thought he had what what it took to progress into coaching.

"What he's done at Colchester in such a short time as a manager is tremendous - it's not an easy job to do with limited funds.

"When you've not got fortunes to spend you have to wheel and deal to bring players in and Steve has put in plenty of time on the road watching players

"He's certainly been prepared to work at it. I am chief scout for Jim Smith at Derby these days and I have seen Steve at reserve games many times - a long time from home I hasten to add!

"Steve's had to earn his success the hard way and for me he's right at the top of Colchester United managers over the years." Roll of honour

1961-62 - Benny Fenton guides the U's into Division Three as runners-up to Fourth Division champions Millwall - the U's first promotion in the League.

1965-66 - the late Neil Franklin achieved a similar feat as the U's finish fourth in Division Four behind Doncaster, Darlington and Torquay after relegation in '64-65.

1973-74 - Jim Smith sweeps into the club like a breath of fresh air and spearheads the U's into Division Three again after finishing third in Division Four to Peterborough and Gillingham - the club having been relegated in '67-68 under Franklin.

1976-77 - Bobby Roberts, coach to Smith from '73 onwards, takes over from his mentor and guides the U's to promotion at the first time of asking - following relegation a year before - after finishing the Fourth Division season in third place behind Cambridge United and Exeter.

1991-92 - Roy McDonough managed the U's to a historic non-league double when winning the FA Trophy at Wembley and the GM Vauxhall Conference championship.

1997-98 - Glory, glory Hallelujah, Steve Wignall guides the U's into Division Two for the first time after a Third Division promotion play-off triumph over Torquay at Wembley after finishing the season in fourth place behind Notts County, Macclesfield and Lincoln.

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