Colchester United Football News: match reports, previews, updates and reaction from Aidy Boothroyd

Introduction

Colchester United have begun the first season in their new Community Stadium at Cuckoo Farm in the Coca-Cola League One.

The U's two-year reign in the Championship was ended when their relegation was assured after fellow strugglers Barnsley beat Watford 3-0.

And with relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City due to meet on the penultimate weekend of the season, it meant the U's could not finish outside the bottom three and so were doomed.

The U's (as they are affectionately known) have gradually made their way up the footballing ladder to the second teir of the national leagues since their return from the GM Vauxhall Conference in May 1992.

I'm the boss...

In charge - new U's manager Paul Lambert.

Under manager Geraint Williams they enjoyed two seasons in the Championship at Layer Road.

But Williams parted company with the U's by mutual consent after a disappointing start to the 2008-09 campaign. Paul Lambert was appointed his successor in October 2008.

Lambert will be keen to further enhance his managerial reputation as
boss of Colchester United.

Having initially cut in management his teeth at Livingston in 2005,
Lambert took over as manager of Wycombe Wanderers.

In 2008, he guided them to the Coca-Cola League Two play-off semi-finals, where the Chairboys lost out to Stockport County.

The 39-year-old had enjoyed a glittering playing career, winning a
European Champions League medal with German club Borussia Dortmund in 1997
and playing more than 250 times for Celtic, during a successful eight-year
spell with the Glasgow giants.

Following his appointment as Geraint Williams' successor, Lambert will be hoping his success and experience in the game rubs off on the U's.

Colchester really hit the headlines in 1971 when they beat Don Revie's famous Leeds United side in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

But success was hard to come by after that and the club slipped out of the league in 1990.

They were not kept down for long though, with promotion from the Vauxhall Conference sealed just two years later.

The club had a double celebration, having beaten Witton Albion in the FA Trophy at Wembley.

The U's were back at Wembley in 1997 for the Auto Windscreens Shield Final but they lost to Carlisle on penalties.

Disappointment was shortlived as the U's were back at Wembley the following year where they sealed promotion in the play-off final.

Memories of the famous FA Cup tie against Leeds in 1971 were almost relived in 2006 when the U's were drawn against the might of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Thousands of U's fans made their way to London for what was almost one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition.

The U's took the lead before Chelsea equalised just before half-time.

And it was only two late goals for Chelsea that saw off the battling U's, who did the town proud.

A face from the past...

Laying down the law - former U's manager Phil Parkinson, who guided the Essex side into the Championship for the 2006-'07 season before his departure to Hull City FC. Picture: STEVE BRADING (48000-26)

Club history

Colchester United Football Club was formed in 1937 after the demise of the original Colchester team, Colchester Town FC.

Having played at a variety of different grounds, Town moved to the present site, Layer Road, in the 1909/10 season and eventually purchased the ground from the Cant family in 1919.

The U's began life in the Southern League until being promoted to the Third Division South of the Football League and played their first match at Yeovil, going down 3-0 in August 1937.

They remained in the Southern League until being promoted to the Third Division South of the Football League for the start of the 1950/51 season.

One of the club's most famous hours came in the 1947/48 season when, as an amateur side, Colchester reached the fifth round of the FA Cup eventually losing to Blackpool 5-0.

On their way to the fifth round, they defeated Wrexham and the mighty Huddersfield. Bob Curry was the chief tormentor.

The U's remained in Division Three South, then Division Three until 1961/62 when they were relegated to Division Four but bounded back a year later.

The club see-sawed between the lower two divisions, but thenunder the management of Phil Parkinson, enjoyed a fabulous run in 2005-06, eventually finishing second and winning promotion to the Coca-Cola Championship.

They also gave Premiership champions Chelsea a scare in the FA Cup, travelling to Stamford Bridge in the fifth round and taking a 1-0 lead before bowing out bravely 3-1.

Saluting the crowd

Thanks for all your support - U's captain Karl Duguid salutes the fans at the end of the U's historic FA Cup clash with Premiership giants Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2006. Picture: SEANA HUGHES (48001-h)

Geraint Williams is the team's manager - he took over at the start of the 2006-07 season from from Phil Parkinson, in place since 2003.

Useful links

Essex busline: 0345 000 333 website: First Traveller
Rail inquiries : National Express East Anglia
Official Colchester United website