COLCHESTER United’s welcome home win last Saturday has slightly eased the fear of relegation out of the Football League, but the threat is still there with 11 fixtures to go and only five points from safety, writes SIR BOB RUSSELL.

If the U’s are relegated at the end of the season in May – with Southend United last year being relegated into the National League (fifth tier of English football) – then Essex will be the largest county in England, in terms of population, not to have a Football League club.

That would put Essex in the same category as Cornwall and Rutland.

It would also mean that Colchester United becoming the tenth club to have been relegated out of the Football League more than once.

Lincoln City had the misfortune to be the first club to lose League status in 1987 when automatic relegation out of the League was introduced, and then again in 2011.

Others to be relegated out of the Football League twice are Darlington, Wrexham, Carlisle, Halifax, Hereford, Chester, Torquay and Grimbsy. Barnet have been relegated three times. Other than Lincoln, who have twice regained League status, all the others remain outside the Football League.

First time around, Lincoln got back into the League after a gap of just one season. Following their second relegation and subsequent promotion back into the League, they are now in the third tier (League One).

It was only a few seasons ago that Essex had the prospect of a third Football League club when Braintree reached the (fifth tier) National League play-offs.

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Alas, that club’s fortunes have since waned in a similar same way as has Colchester and Southend.

Braintree were later relegated to the sixth tier, same as Chelmsford City, and now have a fight on their hands not to fall into the seventh tier.

Colchester were relegated out of the Football League in 1990. The fifth tier in those days was known as the Vauxhall Conference League, from which Colchester United got promoted back into the Football League at the second attempt in 1992 – with a record points score of 94, matched by Wycombe Wanderers but the U’s taking the title with a superior goal difference.

That was a memorable season, for Colchester did the non-League double, winning the Conference and also winning the FA Trophy at Wembley.

In 1998 Colchester were promoted to the 3rd tier (via a play-off against Torquay at Wembley) and in 2006 to the 2nd tier – the Championship.

The U’s were there for two seasons before relegation back to League One and then in 2016 to League Two where they are now.

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The formation of the Premier League, and later the Championship, has changed the named structure of leagues – to avoid confusion, the word “tier” is used to establish the level of the league in which each club plays.

A quick return by both Lincoln and Colchester to the Football League some 30 plus years ago was greatly helped by the fact that they had full-time professional footballers whereas most of the other sides were part-timers.

It is all so different now. Virtually all the clubs in the fifth tier National League are professional sides, with the table showing that 12 of the 23 are former Football League Clubs who have not been able to regain League status.

Current leaders Stockport County, for decades members of the League, look favourites to be promoted back after a gap of 11 years, with several other former League clubs in the mix to take the second place.

When Colchester United were relegated from the Football League in 1990 it was just one club which went out, with one club promoted from the Conference. In 2003 this was changed to two clubs being relegated and two promoted from what is now called the National League, the title holders having one place and the next six clubs competing on a knock-out to secure the second place.

Although there are now two places available for promotion, as the current 12 former League clubs in the National League confirms, should Colchester be relegated a second time then it is obvious that getting back Football League status will be much tougher than it was 30 years ago.

Of all the clubs relegated twice, only Lincoln and Carlisle are currently in the Football League – and Carlisle, like Colchester, are in a fight against relegation.

Relegated out of the Football League a year ago, Southend are 12th in the National League.

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A dozen former League clubs have slipped even further down the football pyramid divisions.

Colchester United first became a League Club in 1950 when four more clubs were admitted, the U’s from the then Southern League and Gillingham from Kent joining the old Third Division (South).

In 1958 the two geographic “South” and “North” Third Divisions merged to create separate Third and Fourth Divisions, with the U’s just qualifying for the Third.

Over the past 72 years the U’s have been something of a yo-yo club with numerous promotions and relegations.

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As I write this, the U’s are 19th following Saturday’s 1-0 home win at the Community Stadium over Port Vale, just five points above second from bottom Oldham on 31 points in 23rd place.

This Saturday the U’s are away to bottom club Scunthorpe, well adrift on just 24 points.

There are 11 games to go, five at home and six away. The final fixture is on May 7, away to Hartlepool. It is to be hoped that by then the U’s will have secured enough points for this not to be a do or die fixture.