WHO would have known or even in our wildest dreams that when the final whistle went up in Carlisle United after an emphatic U’s win back in March that not only would it be the last game for months but also that the next competitive game that we would likely play will be the play-offs?

After an few weeks of back and forth between clubs and the EFL, we are now in a position where is has finally been pretty much agreed that the League Two campaign for 2019-2020 will end with the top three promoted and the teams fourth to seventh competing for the final promotion spot.

We will likely play Exeter City, with the winners playing either Cheltenham or Northampton in the final.

This, I feel, gives us a very realistic chance of promotion with none of those teams being a threat to a Colchester team on top of their game, but of course I have no doubt that the fans of the other clubs will be saying similar things.

The lads are due to return to Florence Park this week to begin individual training and then will be stepping up the levels in line with what guidance they are given.

With the play-off games on the horizon and the gap between competitive games now longer than the normal closed season, the squad are going to have to hit the ground running.

It will be tough as it will be for all the teams involved to get back to full match fitness.

These play-offs will be different from previous years; not only with the fact they will be behind closed doors, but also in the fact that the preparation will be unlike anything the players have faced.

Success or failure among other things will come down to who has kept the work rate up in the confines of their own home training sessions and what team can get up to speed with their chemistry and into the flow of playing 90 minutes quickest.

I have no concerns on this front as the lads have been showing on social media how they have been keeping fit and as a group they have the drive and will to promote.

Of course there is the unanswered questions about players who have been released from contracts, although they have expressed as desire to finish what they started with the U’s this season and play their part in the remaining push.

It is still to be seen if this will happen and they will be with the squad when they meet up.

I hope this is the case as they have their part to play, plus deserve the chance to be part of a promotion-winning squad on the day of the final.

But of course these are questions that only the club can shine light on and as fans we will have to wait and see over the coming days/weeks what transpires.

There was a feel-good factor to social media this week when Harry Pell read about a fan's efforts to raise money for a charity that was close to his family's heart.

When Harry got wind of this he decided to auction off his shirt worn in the Manchester United game and he even he could never have imagined that it would go for such a sum of £3,500.

A great sum of money at any time, even more so with the difficulties going on in the world at the moment.

A great cause and once again shows that Colchester United is a close family. Hopefully it is a family that can get together in the not to distance future and start to enjoy what will be next season's League One tour.

Stay safe all.