Colchester United have finished the season with a flourish

Who’d have thought that anyone with a Colchester United persuasion might have suggested that, a few weeks ago?

The buoyant manner in which the U’s have finished the campaign, with Wayne Brown’s side winning games, full of momentum and moving up the League Two table, has made for an upbeat feeling.

The 2-0 triumph at Hartlepool United yesterday was the epitome of that, in sharp contrast to the mood of their hosts, whose resigned demeanour suggested that they could not wait for the season to end.

Colchester racked up an impressive ten points from their final four games, scoring nine times in that period.

Their deserved victory at Hartlepool was a sixth victory from a possible ten on the road under Brown – including four away wins from their last five - an impressive record indeed.

In total, Colchester won nine, drew six and lost seven of the 22 games that Brown has taken charge of, since his interim appointment in January.

That is an impressive record, particularly when taken into account that five of those seven defeats came against teams who have finished in League Two’s top seven.

While other struggling teams in the fourth tier saw their mid-season decision to change managers fail to have the desired effect, Robbie Cowling’s decision to part company with Hayden Mullins and appoint Brown in interim charge has undoubtedly proved to be a wise one.

Having been perilously close to the League Two relegation zone when Brown took interim charge alongside Joe Dunne and Dave Huzzey, the U’s ended up finishing in 15th spot and 17 points clear of the relegation zone.

That is why Brown will be given the chance to take charge on a permanent basis and look to begin the new season as he has finished this one – presiding over a team very much on the up.

Brown will waste little time in preparing for next season.

And although unlike last season the majority of the squad that performed so well for him in the second half of this campaign will remain the same, there is expected to be some changes behind the scenes at the club, in the coming weeks.

Mr Cowling’s candid statement when Mullins departed suggested that everyone both on and off the pitch should shoulder ‘individual and collective’ responsibility for the club’s worryingly lowly league position, at the midway point of the season.

That is likely to mean alterations within the club's football hierarchy, this summer.

Performance director Jon De Souza moved to pastures new last month and more changes are expected off the field in the close season, as Colchester build for what they hope will be a brighter future with Brown in charge.

On the evidence of the upwardly manner in which they have finished this campaign, that is a realistic target that the U's certainly can – and must - strive for.