THE last time Colchester United had League Two promotion this firmly in their sights, their supporters were cruelly robbed of the chance of sharing their team’s quest for glory.
The U’s resided in sixth spot when the 2019-20 season was curtailed six weeks early, due to Covid; it was only three months later, when League Two clubs voted in favour of ending the campaign with immediate effect, that their play-off place was confirmed.
When John McGreal’s side eventually contested their two-legged play-off semi-final against Exeter City, the two games were played in near-empty stadiums, due to Covid restrictions. It was a surreal time, to say the least.
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Fast forward five years and needless to say, the 2024-25 version of Colchester United's promotion drive feels very different indeed.
Danny Cowley’s in-form side have surged up the League Two table and with nine games remaining, are now residing in the play-off positions – and five points off the automatic promotion places.
Crowds at the JobServe Community Stadium are on the rise; momentum is growing.
Supporters are really starting to believe that the U’s are on the verge of something special and the bond between the team and fanbase is the strongest it has been for some time.
It has been a remarkable few months, for Colchester.
The U’s had started 2025 with back-to-back defeats and at that point, had won just five times all season in League Two.
Less than three months later, they now sit seventh in the table on the back of a five-match winning run and 13 games undefeated.
Colchester are currently the EFL’s most in-form team, having taken 24 points out of a possible 30 in their last ten games.
They have hit winning form, at just the right time, claiming five straight wins in League Two for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
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As Danny Cowley said upon his appointment as U's head coach: 'We like winning, we're used to winning and we expect to win’.
There’s undoubtedly a real buzz about Colchester at the moment.
They’re the hottest ticket in town and with nine games remaining, their supporters are daring to dream.
Up next for Colchester is this weekend’s trip to play second-placed Bradford City, who surprisingly lost 1-0 at home to Tranmere Rovers yesterday.
It is arguably the biggest test so far of the U’s excellent run – but who would back against them at the moment?
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