Colchester United are aiming to add in summer transfer window

The Gazette looks at 11 top transfer additions made by the U's, over the past two decades.

1 TOM EASTMAN

Where else could we start? Eastman joined Colchester United on a two-year deal in May, 2011, after turning down a six-month contract with Ipswich Town.

The 19-year-old joined the U’s on a free transfer, after Ipswich failed to offer terms to match his previous one-year deal.

Eastman went on to play 464 times for Colchester over a 12-year period, making it into the club's top-ten list of all-time appearance makers and lifting four Player of the Year awards, before being released last month.

2 JAMIE CURETON

The striker had already enjoyed a productive loan spell with Colchester, playing his part in helping them win promotion in the 2005-06 season, before joining them permanently from Swindon Town on June 2, 2006.

The 30-year-old joined the U's on a free transfer, after a clause in his contract enabled him to leave after Swindon's relegation to League Two.

Cureton said: "I think Colchester are a club where I feel comfortable and settled and when that happens I play my best football and it's a nice close knit club and I'm happy to be a part of it again."

Cureton was a huge success for the U's in their first-ever season in the Championship, scoring 23 times to finish up with the Golden Boot and help the club to their highest-ever finish.

The striker left Colchester at the end of that season to re-join Norwich City.

3 GAVIN MASSEY

Winger Massey had enjoyed two impressive loan stints at Colchester prior to signing for them permanently in August, 2012.

The 19-year-old signed for the U's on a three-year contract on a free transfer from Watford.

Colchester boss John Ward told the U's website: "I am very happy to get him back. Things have changed a lot at Watford over the past few months and so we made an enquiry about his services and have now come up with this deal."

Massey made 178 league and cup appearances for Colchester during his four-and-a-half year stint with the club, scoring 21 goals.

With his skill, versatility and positive attitude, he quickly endeared himself to Colchester fans after initially arriving at the club as a fresh-faced teenager on loan.

Massey left Colchester in the summer of 2016 to join Wigan Athletic.

4 WAYNE BROWN

Brown joined Colchester on a permanent basis in July 2004, having had two productive loan spells with the club from neighbours Ipswich Town.

The no-nonsense defender proved to be an excellent signing for Phil Parkinson, going on to help the U's win promotion from League One and then achieve their highest-ever finish after then ended up tenth in the Championship, the following season.

After making more than 150 league and cup appearances for Colchester, centre-back Brown left Layer Road to join Hull City for £450,000 in the summer of 2007.

5 FREDDIE SEARS

Another player who excelled on loan for Colchester, striker Sears joined the club permanently from West Ham United in early July, 2012.

The 22-year-old joined the U's on a three-year contract.

He said: "It feels like I've been around longer than I have. I look back, and I've not had a full season under my belt.

"In a way, it's like taking a step back to go forward again. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Sears impressed during a two-and-a-half year spell at Colchester, scoring 29 times in 71 league starts for the club before joining Ipswich Town in January, 2015.

Sears returned to Colchester for a second permanent spell in the summer of 2021 and stayed for two years before being released, last month.

6 GEORGE MONCUR

Midfield maestro Moncur joined Colchester in the summer of 2014 from West Ham United initially on loan before the deal was made permanent, three months later.

He proved a big hit at the Community Stadium, making nearly 100 league and cup appearances for the U's and scoring 23 times including their crucial winner in the memorable final-day win over Preston North End in 2015, which kept the club in League One against all the odds.

Moncur quit Colchester to join Barnsley in the summer of 2016 for a fee reported to be in the region of £500,000.

7 CHRIS IWELUMO

In early July, 2005, striker Iwelumo became Colchester's first signing of the summer - and it proved to be a good one.

The 26-year-old linked up with Phil Parkinson's U's on a free from German second division side Alemannia Aachen.

Iwelumo said: "The club's ambition is what sold the move. The manager and the players are heading in the same direction so I'm looking forward to it.

"It's good to know the manager wants you and I'll perform on the pitch."

Iwelumo played his part in helping Colchester win promotion from League One and then formed a prolific strike partnership with Jamie Cureton in the 2006-07 Championship campaign, scoring 18 times including a four-goal salvo in a memorable 5-1 win against Hull City at Layer Road.

Iwelumo left the U's in the summer of 2007 to join Charlton Athletic.

8 KEVIN LISBIE

Lisbie arrived at Colchester in the pre-season of 2007, initially on trial after leaving Charlton Athletic.

The popular striker made an instant impact, scoring 17 times for Geraint Williams' side in their second Championship season.

Lisbie's goals caught the eye of Ipswich Town, who signed the striker in the summer of 2008 for a fee reported to be in the region of £600,000.

Lisbie returned to Colchester on loan from Ipswich in the 2009-10 season and scored 13 times for them in League Two, including a brace in their incredible 7-1 opening-day win at Norwich City.

9 JOHNNIE JACKSON

Another player who impressed on loan at Colchester before joining them on a permanent basis, Jackson linked up with the U's in the summer of 2006 following his release from Tottenham Hotspur.

The versatile Jackson made more than 100 league appearances for Colchester between 2006 and 2009.

He helped them to their highest-ever finish in the 2006-07 season and was their Player of the Year, in the following campaign.

Jackson left Colchester in the summer of 2009 to join Notts County.

10 GEORGE ELOKOBI

Powerful defender Elokobi linked up with Colchester as an 18-year-old in August, 2004 after being spotted by Brian Owen playing for non-league outfit, Dulwich Hamlet.

U's assistant boss Geraint Williams told the Gazette: "Elokobi is a young left-sided centre-half who boasts a bit of pace and he impressed everyone in a trial with us last season.

"The manager has brought the boy in with a view to him pushing for a first-team place later in the season."

Elokobi played his part in helping Colchester win a historic promotion to the Championship in 2006 and played in each of the U's two seasons in English football's second tier, before the popular defender left to join Wolves in January 2008 where he went on to play in the Premier League.

Elokobi returned to Colchester for a second spell in the summer of 2015, making nearly 50 further appearances over a two-year period before being released.

11 KEVIN WATSON

Silky playmaker Watson arrived at Colchester from Reading in early July, 2004, another of Phil Parkinson's astute signings.

He played a big part in helping the U's win promotion to the second tier for the first time in the club's history, playing 52 times in total in that memorable season.

Watson remained a key player for Colchester in their first-ever season in the Championship, performing consistently well throughout a memorable campaign.

The former Spurs youngster suffered an injury-hit 2007-08 campaign, making only seven appearances as the U's were relegated back to League One.

Watson left Colchester that summer to join Luton Town, having made more than 150 league and cup appearances for the U's.