COLCHESTER United are on the lookout for a new head coach.
Robbie Cowling's decision to relieve Wayne Brown of his duties has left him and the club searching for a new boss.
Mr Cowling has owned Colchester since September, 2006 and appointed ten permanent managers in that time and seven, in the last eight years.
Seven of those appointments have been internal, with Paul Lambert, Aidy Boothroyd and Kevin Keen the only exceptions.
Colchester are now on the lookout for a new head coach and have promised a 'detailed' search, as they look for Brown's successor.
The Gazette looks at the men Colchester have hired - and in some cases fired - since Mr Cowling took charge.
PAUL LAMBERT
APPOINTED: OCTOBER 2008
RECORD: GAMES - 44; WON - 20; DRAWN - 7; LOST - 17
THE former Wycombe Wanderers boss took over after Geraint Williams was dismissed following a poor start to the 2008-09 League One season.
Lambert led Colchester to a 12th-place finish and set about reshaping the squad for the 2009-10 campaign, bringing in the likes of Marc Tierney, Simon Hackney and Ashley Vincent.
Colchester got the new season off to a magnificent start with a memorable 7-1 win at Norwich City, on the opening day of the campaign.
The U's beat Yeovil Town 2-1 in their second game of the season, before Lambert controversially quit to take over at Carrow Road.
AIDY BOOTHROYD
APPOINTED: SEPTEMBER 2009
RECORD: GAMES - 44; WON - 19; DRAWN - 12; LOST - 13
TOOK charge with Colchester in a healthy position in League One and embarked on a nine-match unbeaten run, to start his reign as manager.
Boothroyd brought in the likes of John-Joe O'Toole, David Prutton and Ian Henderson to boost his squad's chances of success, as they chased promotion from League One.
Colchester resided in a top-six position under Boothroyd for more than half of the campaign but fell away in the final weeks of the season, winning only two of their final 14 games.
The U's eventually finished eighth and Boothroyd quit the Community Stadium to take over at Coventry City in May, 2010.
JOHN WARD
APPOINTED: MAY 2010
RECORD: GAMES - 111; WON - 33; DRAWN - 39; LOST - 39
WARD stepped up from his role as Aidy Boothroyd's assistant to take charge of the U's in the summer of 2010.
He ended up being in charge for more than two years, parting company with the club in September, 2012.
Colchester finished tenth under Ward in both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons but began the 2012-13 campaign winless in nine league and cup games, leading to Ward being dismissed.
JOE DUNNE
APPOINTED: SEPTEMBER 2012
RECORD: GAMES - 95; WON - 27; DRAWN - 20; LOST - 48
CLUB legend Dunne was appointed as Colchester's new boss in the opening weeks of the 2012-13 season, following Ward's exit.
He immediately brought in the likes of Jabo Ibehre, Sanchez Watt and Craig Eastmond on loan and won his first game in charge, a 3-1 triumph over Hartlepool United in League One.
Colchester went on to suffer a record nine consecutive defeats that season but avoided relegation to League Two with a final-day 2-0 win at Carlisle United.
Dunne brought a number of youngsters into the first-team set-up during his time as U's boss, including the likes of Sammie Szmodics, Alex Gilbey and Macauley Bonne.
Colchester finished 16th in League One in the 2013-14 season but after a winless start the following campaign, Dunne was dismissed.
TONY HUMES
APPOINTED: SEPTEMBER 2014
RECORD: GAMES - 67; WON - 22; DRAWN - 15; LOST - 30
HUMES stepped up to become Colchester boss having previously served as the club's Head of Youth.
He led the U's to League One safety on the final day of the 2014-15 season with a dramatic 1-0 win over Preston North End, thanks to George Moncur's memorable winner.
However, Colchester continued to struggle the following season and Humes departed his position in November 2016, following a run of four successive defeats.
KEVIN KEEN
APPOINTED: DECEMBER 2015
RECORD: GAMES - 24; WON - 5; DRAWN - 7; LOST - 12
KEEN'S spell in charge of the U's was a short-lived one.
He was appointed as Tony Humes' successor in December 2015, chalking up his first win as the club's manager the following month in the FA Cup against Charlton Athletic.
Colchester enjoyed a brief upturn in form under Keen but it was too little, too late and he could not prevent them from suffering relegation to the fourth tier for the first time in 18 years.
Keen departed Colchester by mutual consent, three days later.
JOHN MCGREAL
APPOINTED: MAY 2016
RECORD: GAMES - 203; WON - 76; DRAWN - 55; LOST - 72
Having served as a U's academy coach for seven years, McGreal was appointed Colchester's head coach in the summer of 2016.
He presided over more than 200 games as their boss, with the U's twice finishing one place off the play-offs in two of his first three seasons in charge.
McGreal eventually led Colchester to the play-offs in the curtailed 2019-20 season, where they lost to Exeter City in the semi-finals.
In the same season, the former Ipswich Town defender also led the U's to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals following wins over the likes of Spurs and Crystal Palace.
McGreal was dismissed by the U's in July 2020.
STEVE BALL
APPOINTED: JULY 2020
RECORD: GAMES - 34; WON - 8; DRAWN - 13; LOST - 13
HAVING been assistant manager to John McGreal for four seasons, former U's player Ball was appointed his successor.
Results were solid in the opening weeks of the season but a winless run of 13 games in League Two saw him depart the role following a home defeat to Exeter City, after seven months in charge.
Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling said: "Following the game tonight and a discussion I had with Steve, it was decided that the best way forward was for him to leave his position as head coach.
"Steve has been with the club in different capacities for a long time and I would like it placed on record our thanks to him for his hard work and dedication."
HAYDEN MULLINS
APPOINTED: MAY 2021
RECORD: GAMES - 32; WON - 8; DRAWN - 8 LOST - 16
MULLINS had worked as assistant manager and took over in interim charge when Ball departed, flanked by Paul Tisdale.
He helped steer Colchester to League Two safety and was duly appointed as their permanent boss, at the end of the 2020-21 season.
But he was dismissed in January 2022 following a poor run of form which saw them lose five successive matches in League Two.
Mullins' final game was a 3-2 defeat at Sutton United, which left them three points above the relegation zone.
WAYNE BROWN
APPOINTED: MAY 2022
RECORD: GAMES - 12; WON - 3; DRAWN - 3; LOST - 6.
Was appointed as permanent boss after impressing while in interim charge, in the second half of the 2021-22 season.
Brown, alongside Joe Dunne and Dave Huzzey, steered Colchester to League Two safety, leading them to a 15th-place finish.
However, the U's promotion winner experienced a tough start to the season, claiming only one win in his opening nine league games in charge.
Share