Colchester United

So much rests on what happens to four key U's players

Carl Marston — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:08:41 GMT

COLCHESTER United fans will be sweating over the future of four of their key players this summer.

While the bulk of the U’s out of-contract players look like signing new deals, including the likes of Brian Wilson, Matt Heath and Lloyd James, there are no guarantees that an important quartet will still be at the club.

The trio of Magnus Okuonghae, Ben Williams and Kayode Odejayi are all out of contract, and bound to be attracting interest from other clubs.

The fourth, Anthony Wordsworth, still has a year left on his current deal, although the U’s will find it difficult to keep hold of him, if a tempting offer comes in from a Championship or fellow League One outfit.

If all four do stay with the U’s, then another strong season looks on the cards. If most of them go, manager John Ward has some hard work on his hands trying to replace them, with a tightening budget.

Here is a run-down of the big four, the backbone of the whole team:

1 Magnus Okuonghae: the U’s first choice centre-half is considering his future, but he was quite upbeat after the final game at Notts County, suggesting that he could well stay at the Community Stadium. However, that depends on what offers come in.

2 Ben Williams: the U’s No. 1 keeper has also been offered a new deal, and he is currently weighing up his options. He has proved himself to be one of the best keepers in the division, but if he does decide to leave, then Ward will not be looking for another keeper – he will simply promote Mark Cousins to the No. 1 jersey.

3 Kayode Odejayi: I spoke to the big man only last week, and he also confirmed that he had been offered a new deal by the U’s, although that offer had only come during the last fortnight. He only scored five goals this season, but he will be a difficult man to replace if he does leave. There aren’t too many powerful centre-forwards available.

4 Anthony Wordsworth: The classy midfielder has no plans to leave Colchester. He is planning for another season with the U’s, and it will need a big bid – certainly well in excess of £500,000 – to persuade the U’s to part company with their biggest asset.

No fall-outs, but a few differences of opinion

Carl Marston — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:02:00 GMT

THE recent stand-off between AFC Bournemouth and the local paper - 'The Bournemouth Daily Echo' - had me thinking about any near fall-outs that I may have experienced over the last 20 years or so.

The Daily Echo has won a lot of admirers for the stance it has taken, after being banned from attending games at Dean Court by the League One club.

Last week, Cherries media executive Max Fitzgerald released a statement to the Bourmemouth fans’ website - Up The Cherries.

It began as follows: "The Bournemouth Daily Echo has been asked to cease attendance at AFC Bournemouth home matches for the foreseeable future. This is in response to their persistent negative stance on all matters involving the club, and the undermining and unsettling of our players and staff members."

In response, the paper has decided to stop filling its back pages with Cherries news, and has instead given an airing to other sports and other clubs. They didn't even cover the recent departure of manager Lee Bradbury on it's website.

It is a brave decision, a strong decision, and certainly a thumbs up in support of the 'free press.'

I have never suffered the misfortune to be banned from a club, or seen the EADT turned away from Layer Road, Portman Road or the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Not because of any "sucking up" to clubs. But rather down to a more 'grown up' relationship between clubs, and between each manager. Or so I'd like to think!

Here are just a few differences of opinion I have had with past managers, most of them light-hearted:

1 Roy McDonough - I was once criticised, by 'Big Roy,' for not drinking enough on an away trip!

Those were the days when I would occasionally travel on the U's team-coach, to the long away games, like Exeter, Torquay, Chester, Carlisle and alike. This practise continued, on and off, during the eras of George Burley and Steve Wignall, although I have made my own way to games for the last 16 years.

The days of local press-men travelling with the playing squad are long gone, and rightly so.

But on one return from an old Fourth Division encounter, I think after a visit to Carlisle's Brunton Park (though my memory is a bit hazy), I was chastisied by the boss, Big Roy, for not joining in the post-match drinking merriments on the bus.

My abstinence - or just one can of lager throughout the whole journey - was not due to the fact that I was a kill-joy, or was engrossed in work,, but due to the fact that I had to drive my car home to Bury St Edmunds, once we had arrived back at Layer Road, in the dead of night.

Big Roy could be very persuasive, but I stuck to my one can!

2 Mick Wadsworth - it was sometimes difficult to get in touch with ex-U's boss Wadsworth, during the week, during his short stay at Layer Road in 1999.

And I remember one occasion when I telephoned the club office, to have a chat with Wadsworth about team news, only to be confronted by a voice pretending to be the cleaner.

It knocked me off my guard. No chance of extracting any injury news from the cleaner. But the voice at the other end of the phone ended up being a mischievous Wadsworth.

And he had the last laugh, keeping the U's up when relegation looked on the cards.

3 Roy Keane - no one ever really fell out with RK, during his spell at Ipswich, because communications between the press and the Irishman tended to be purely through official press conferences, rather than personal phone calls.

I was on the wrong end of a few of his deadly, steely stares, and received the odd curt reply to a question (probably not a great question), but that kept me on my toes.

It was pure theatre.

Don't tell the wife!

Carl Marston — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:34:00 GMT

I've been playing away from home for two months, but don't tell the wife!

In fact, I've forgotten what home comforts are like, since the turn of the year, although this has little to do with me being led astray by some "lady of the night."

Circumstances have conspired to see me hit the road in a big way during January and February, to such an extent that 10 of my last 11 games have all been away from home.

For the U's, I have had short trips to MK Dons and Leyton Orient, followed by more daunting trips to Yeovil and Oldham.

But elsewhere, I have also reported on the fortunes of Ipswich Town and Braintree Town, visiting grounds that U's fans might end up watching their team in years to come.

I can't see the U's having to go to Bath City in the very near future - The Romans look certainties for the drop into the Blue Square South, unless three or four clubs suffer liquidation in the next few months!

Braintree poached an injury-time equaliser at Twerton Park to grab a 1-1 draw in early January, and Bath have hardly picked up a point since that setback.

Highbury Stadium, the plush home of Fleetwood Town, is a more likely venue for the hardiest of U's fans in the next couple of years.

Fleetwood are flying high at the top of the Blue Square Premier, and could well edge out Wrexham for the one automatic promotion slot into the Football League.

The Iron were hammered 3-1 at leaders Fleetwood, situated just up the coast from Blackpool. Perhaps the north-west club will be squatting in League One in the not-too-distant future? Or maybe the U's will meet them in the Carling Cup?

The four away games with Ipswich were at clubs that U's fans have visited in past seasons.

It was a long time (nearly 11 years) since the U's League Cup visit to Portsmouth (the days of Peter Crouch at Pompey - the U's won 2-1!), but trips to Birmingham and Leeds have been enjoyed in more recent times.

Brighton's Amex Stadium, however, is a ground that I hope will soon be on the U's radar - though probably more likely as a cup game than a league fixture.

Having reported on the U's at the Goldstone Ground, Priestfield (ground-share with landlords Gillingham) and the infamous Withdean Stadium, the Seagulls are flying high in their new ground.

I was very impressed the Amex. It is a ground with bags of character, conducive to a cracking atmosphere due to the sloping roofs and the filled-in corners. The noise can be deafening.

Hopefully, one day soon, the U's will pay a visit to the Amex.

However, I won't be counting the days until my return to Fleetwood. It's a neat stadium, but a long, long way from home!

Be careful what you wish for

Carl Marston — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:50:00 GMT

“WARD out, Ward out!” You must be joking.

John Ward has done a satisfactory job, as Colchester United boss, and he certainly does NOT deserve to lose his job.

The odd chant of “Ward out,” after the recent home games against Scunthorpe and Chesterfield, could be heard towards the end of these back-to-back fixtures at the Community Stadium.

Fans have every right to vent their anger, and express themselves vocally during a highly-charged Saturday afternoon, but let’s get real.

The U’s are no longer a Championship club, and they are not going to return to the second tier in the near future.

That has nothing to do with Ward. It’s more to do with the fact that the U’s have cut their cloth, in recent times, to match their size as a football club.

I have always thought that the U’s were punching above their weight, in the Championship (2006-08), not by one but by two divisions, in terms of crowd sizes and general income.

United struck lucky with a fantastic squad under Phil Parkinson – a once in a lifetime squad – due to some inspired signings, terrific management and coaching, and a wonderful team spirit. But every club then has to go through a rebuilding process, after the initial glow of success has dimmed, and relegation has kicked in.

The big-spending days of Paul Lambert’s and Aidy Boothroyd’s regimes (by comparison to the U’s more frugal past), are over.

That’s not to say the U’s are not looking towards a bright future …. they are. It’s just that ambitions have to be lowered.

The U’s cannot afford to compete on a level playing field with many of the big guns in League One.

I know fans don’t want to be told that, but it’s a reality. And furthermore, with the new Football League rules coming into force next season, when clubs in League One will only be permitted to spend 60% of their income of wages, the U’s will be further hit.

The future for Colchester must surely be based on young players coming through, and young players from elsewhere being recruited and developed at the club’s fantastic future new training facilities at Tiptree.

Players such as Tom Eastman, Tom Bender (on loan for the season at Accrington Stanley), Tom Aldred (signed last summer), Ben Coker, Jordan Sanderson and Bradley Hamilton will surely be a big part of the U’s going forward.

I want success, just as much as any Colchester fan – I’d rather be reporting on a U’s trip to Leicester or Reading, rather than a U’s visit to Oldham or Walsall.

But the U’s have consolidated themselves as a solid League One club, sitting in mid-table and occasionally nursing hopes of launching a bid for the top six.

It could be much, much worse. Remember, there are many clubs in League Two with a bigger fan-base and more resources than the U’s, such as Swindon, Bradford, Oxford and Gillingham.

In fact, there are even clubs in the Blue Square Premier who would claim to be on an equal standing (or better) with the U’s, in terms of pulling in the fans and boasting a good club history – Luton, Cambridge, Wrexham spring to mind.

Fans are free to vent their frustrations against the manager, but Ward is the right man to lead the U’s, at this stage in the club’s development.

A new manager does not always mean better times will follow. And if you doubt this, you should remember the goings on at a club just 16 miles up the A12 ..... at Ipswich!

Good or bad? The U's are an enigma

Carl Marston — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:11:24 GMT

SO how good are Colchester United this season?

That might seem a strange question to ask, on the back of a humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Stevenage on Boxing Day, and just five weeks after an equally demoralising 5-1 home reverse at the hands of MK Dons.

But it is not as easy a question to answer, as might first appear on the surface.

The U’s, despite these recent heavy defeats on home soil, remain in mid-table. And that’s where they deserve to be.

Tellingly, John Ward’s men have lost to all of the top six clubs – Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Huddersfield, MK Dons and Stevenage.

That confirms that the U’s are simply not good enough to make the play-offs. They have continually been outplayed and outgunned by their more lofty opponents.

In those six games, against the top six, the U’s have leaked 21 goals and scored just four. That tells a story.

Yet this same Colchester team have scored four goals on four occasions this term, at Preston (4-2 on the opening day) and Crewe (4-1 in the FA Cup), and at home to Notts County (4-2) and Bury (4-1).

In fact, they have not lost to opposition from the lower half of the league.

It is clear, then, that while not having the quality to upset the big guns, or play-off contenders, they are still in better shape than half the clubs in League One.

The most worrying trait for Ward himself, has been his team’s tendency to drop their heads, when the going gets tough.

That was the case against MK Dons, and was sadly repeated against ruthless Stevenage. Graham Westley’s side, like a lion going in for the kill, plundered four goals during the final half-hour.

The U’s do not exactly throw in the towel – that would be inexcusable – but they do have the air of a beaten team, once they fall too far behind.

And that is borne out by the statistics.

The U’s have not rallied from a goal down to win a league game this season, suggesting that there is something lacking in their psyche.

By contrast, Boxing Day visitors Stevenage have not lost a game, in which they have scored the first goal, since they joined the Football League in 2010.

Colchester have blown hot and cold this season, and I see no reason for that to change during the second half of the campaign.

In terms of goals, you certainly get value for money at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. A total of 42 goals from 11 home games is a ratio of almost four goals per fixture.

It’s just a shame that 22 of those 42 goals have been in the wrong net!

Under-whelmed by news of Underhill's impending demise

Carl Marston — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:23:00 GMT

CALL me a sad old hack, but I always sigh when I hear the news of another Football League ground about to bite the dust.

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Shrewsbury’s Gay Meadow, Oxford’s Manor Ground, Chesterfield’s Saltergate, Rotherham’s Millmoor and of course the U’s Layer Road, the next historical football venue up for the chop is Barnet’s Underhill.

The Bees have been based at Underhill, with its famous sloping pitch, for the last 104 years, but that link is almost certain to be severed at the end of this current season.

The Hertfordshire club are now on the look-out for a new home, due to land lease issues with Barnet Council concerning Underhill.

It seems to be rather late in the day for Barnet FC to suddenly start looking for a new stadium, just eight months before the start of next season, especially if the Bees manage to avoid relegation back to the Conference (Blue Square Premier) this term.

I won’t actually shed a tear, when Underhill closes its doors for the last time, but it’s always sad when another chapter closes at another club.

I have been to Barnet many times over the years, both with the U’s and Ipswich Town, though I didn’t go during the race for the Conference title in 1990-91 when the Bees pipped Ian Atkins’ U’s to promotion to the Football League.

The U’s last trip to Underhill was not a happy one. I recall an FA Cup exit in early 2007, when Geraint Williams’ men were beaten 2-1 in round three. The U’s were going well in the Championship, and were ahead at the interval through Jamie Cureton, only to be knocked out by goals from Ismail Yakubu and a late thunderbolt from Jason Puncheon.

Not a good day!

An earlier defeat, in 1998, holds better memories for me and U’s fans in general.

OK, Steve Wignall’s men may have lost the first leg of a Division Three play-off semi-final, by a 1-0 scoreline, but I recall defender Guy Branston helping to get both teams reduced to 10 men late on, by clashing off-the-ball with Barnet danger-man Sean Devine.

The net result was that striker Devine was suspended for the second leg (welcome news), which the U’s won 3-1 to book their place at Wembley, where of course David Gregory slotted home a penalty for a 1-0 win over Torquay in the play-off final, and so secure promotion.

Ipswich have never actually played Barnet in a first team game, although I have been to Underhill to report on a Town team, in an FA Youth Cup tie, not against the Bees but against Arsenal, in January, 2010.

All eyes were on Connor Wickham that night. Ironically, Wickham, then 16, was left off the official team-sheet by accident that evening (or was it to confuse the many watching scouts?).

But Wickham, larger-than-life, was very much on the pitch. After Ronan Murray (now on loan against Swindon, and appearing as an early substitute in the recent FA Cup win over the U’s) had scored an early goal, Wickham weighed in with a quickfire second in a 2-0 win to knock out Arsenal, who were the Cup holders.

I will miss Underhill. Creature comforts are minimal - I'm just glad to get a power-point whenever I visit - but for me it was a happy stop-off point on the way to that U's promotion.

I don't think I have ever been so satisfied by a Colchester defeat in my life!

The worst U's squad for a generation?

Carl Marston — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:00:00 GMT

I AM not one of those crying out for a change of manager at Colchester United.

John Ward has a difficult job on his hands, working within a tight budget and a small squad, while trying to manage such high expectations - of mounting a challenge for the top six.

He does not have vast amounts of money to spend on new players, to compete favourably with the likes of Charlton, Huddersfield and the two Sheffield clubs.

Chairman Robbie Cowling has tried the alternative "free-spending" method already, with previous managers Paul Lambert and Aidy Boothroyd, only to get his fingers burnt.

Now Cowling is focusing on guaranteeing the long-term future of the club, with an experienced manager in tow, while developing the club's training facilities and youth team set-up.

However, I will concede this much - that this is one of the poorest, if not THE poorest, Colchester United squad for a generation.

I first started reporting on the U's back in 1992, when they regained their Football League status, and it's not been all plain sailing, far from it.

A popular pastime for supporters is to select their all-time favourite team, from their own years of watching their beloved U's. I'm no exception.

A good gauge of how a current squad compares to past squads, therefore, is to see how many current players would get into their all-time starting XI, or even all-time 16-man squad.

Well, here's my confession - I'd struggle to pick any of the class of 2011-12. And that tells a sorry tale.

I would consider the likes of Mark Kinsella and Tony English, from Roy McDonough's regime, with others from the early 1990s like Tony Adcock, Steve McGavin, Martin Grainger and Paul Abrahams in the frame.

From the Wembley excursions of the late 1990s, I would look to recruit dependable players such as Tony McCarthy, Peter Cawley and Richard Wilkins. And we mustn't forget Lomana Lua Lua from around the turn of the century!

Of course the vast majority of an all-time squad would stem from the promotion-winning heroes of 2005-06, and the following year's campaign in the Championship - Kevin Watson, Wayne Brown, Chris Iwelumo, Jamie Cureton, Neil Danns and Richard Garcia spring to mind.

But what of the current squad? Kem Izzet and Pat Baldwin have both been terrific stalwarts of the club, and Steven Gillespie is a striker blessed with so much talent (but blighted by injury), yet they wouldn't sneak into my all-time squad.

And that's a sad indictment of the current squad.

I think it's good enough to finish in mid-table, in League One, but Ward's squad lacks the individual sparkle (oh, how we miss loanee Michail Antonio!) to compare favourably to the bright sparks of past squads.

And just for a bit of fun, here's my all-time Colchester squad of the past 20 years (loanees not included):

1 Aidan Davison (gk)

2 Greg Halford (rb)

3 Martin Grainger (lb)

4 Tony McCarthy (ch)

5 Wayne Brown (ch)

6 Mark Yeates (rw)

7 Mark Kinsella (cm)

8 Neil Dannis (cm)

9 Tony Adcock (s)

10 Lomana Lua Lua (s)

11 Paul Abrahams (lw)

And here's my all-time Colchester "B" squad from those 20 years:

1 Simon Brown (gk)

2 Joe Dunne (rb)

3 Marc Tierney (lb)

4 Peter Cawley (ch)

5 Tony English (ch)

6 Richard Garcia (rw)

7 Kevin Watson (cm)

8 Richard Wilkins (cm)

9 Chris Iwelumo (s)

10 Jamie Cureton (s)

11 Johnnie Jackson (lw)

This was no Wind in the Willows ... and other terrible tales of terrible weather

Carl Marston — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:36:00 GMT

YOU should never blame the weather, however bad the weather, for your team's failings.

Colchester United didn't fall into that trap, following the recent 1-0 defeat at Carlisle - John Ward and his players mentioned the strong, gusting winds, but they didn't use the Brunton Park elements as an excuse.

Having coasted up the A1 and across the Pennines on the A66, buffeted by powerful winds - the A66 was closed to high-sided vehicles on the return journey - and then got soaked walking a few hundred yards from the car to the press box - I didn't appreciate hearing "Paradise" by Coldplay blaring over the Tannoy.

The conditions were awful - perhaps just an ordinary day in Cumbria - and they got me thinking of a few other matches I have covered over the years, which have been mememorable for the dreadful weather conditions rather than the actual games themselves.

Below is a top three of U's windswept games - "This was no Wind in the Willows" - followed by a select three different weather challenges, featuring the U's, Ipswich and even Cambridge - "Whether/Weather to carry on playing"

"NO WIND IN THE WILLLOWS"

1 Chesterfield 4 Colchester 0 (March 16, 1993). The headline in the EADT on the following Monday morning - "Colchester hopes are blown to oblivion" - summed up this Saltergate clash. The game was spoilt by a howling gale, with the U's conceding three goals in a 10-minute spell through Steve Williams (2) and Paul Lemon. Poor Carl Emberson, in the U's goal, could not come to terms with the dreadful conditions. After the match, U's player-manager Roy McDonough said: "The match should never really have been played. Footballers are supposed to be entertainers, but the wind made it a farce. Their second goal summed it up when Carl Emberson punched the ball away, only for it to be blown back over his head! I blame the elements more than Carl." Keeper Emberson was on loan from Millwall, at the start of his career.

2 Peterborough 3 Colchester 1 (March 9, 2002): The headline in the EADT after this game - "U's blown to pieces in bitter wind" - left nothing to the imagination. The U's, with Steve Whitton at the helm, were actually more dreadful than the conditions! The U's played into the powerful wind in the first half, but they never adapted, conceding two goals to David Farrell and Francis Green. In fact, they rarely managed to get the ball into Peterborough's half of the pitch. Even in the second period, with the wind at their backs, the visitors failed to capitalise, and they didn't really deserve a late consolation goal from Graham Barrett, after Leon McKenzie had scored Posh's third. Boss Whitton refused to blame the weather: "The players have let themselves down and the club down. It was not acceptable."

2 Carlisle 1 Colchester 0 (November 26, 2011): Last Saturday's contest is still fresh in the memory. Strong winds, driving rain, the U's passing the ball into touch throughout the first half, Paul Thirwell's 22nd minute winner ... a typical day in Cumbria and a typical U's performance in trying conditions.

"WHETHER/WEATHER TO CARRY ON PLAYING"

1 Ipswich 3 Leicester City 0 (December 18, 2010): This was the late afternoon/early evening when it snowed and snowed and snowed. Thank goodness for the presence of the Sky TV cameras, because that probably persuaded referee Stuart Atwell to carry on playing, and so guarantee a rare Town victory during Roy Keane's regime. Shane O'Connor played a blinder, on a carpet of snow, as first-half goals from David Norris and Jason Scotland (2) put Town 3-0 up at half-time. It continued to snow, and when Mr Atwell took the players off the pitch early in the second half, an abandonment looked on the cards. Snow was bushed off the pitch and, after a 15-minute delay, the teams returned and Town duly played out a 3-0 win, their first success in seven Championship games. Foxes boss Sven Goran Eriksson insisted that it was the weather for skiing, not football.

2 Colchester United 3 Walsall 1 (1998-99): This game was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch, much to the U's frustration, and especially young striker Tony Lock, who had scored two of the goals. Lock actually only scored four goals in his Colchester career, so to have these two wiped out was particularly galling. It was the season of Manchester City's Maine Road, Kevin Keegan's Fulham, Cup despair at Bedlington Terriers, Fumaca, Lua Lua .... The U's beat Walsall 1-0 in the rearranged game.

3 Cambridge United 0 Blackburn Rovers 0 (1991-92 season): I remember this game, as a rookie reporter following the fortunes of John Beck's Cambridge United, because it was my first experience of an abandonment. This old Second Division match was called off at half-time, because of a frozen pitch. I also remember it for interviewing Kenny Dalglish in the tunnel at half-time, following the abandonment - he was Rovers boss from 1991 to '95. Cambridge nearly won promotion to the new Premier League that season, only to lose out in the play-off semi-finals to Leicester. And it was Blackburn who beat Leicester in the play-off final. The re-match of the abandoned game ended in a 2-1 win for Cambridge.

When 'home' doesn't sound like 'home' anymore

Carl Marston — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:33:02 GMT

FOOTBALL fans, for all their bravado and desire for success, are traditionalists at heart.

And I am no different. I would love to play Devil's Advocate, and congratulate Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley on his recent decision to rename St James' Park as the Sports Direct Arena, but I'm afraid I can't.

Some things should not be messed about with - and replacing ground names, stepped in history, with short-term branding for short-term gains, is one of them.

I don't have a problem with new stadiums opening their doors under a sponsor's name, so long as there is some non-commercial identity attached to the title.

Colchester United is of course a case in point. We all loved Layer Road, and there was never any aim or indeed danger of a sponsor stepping in to rename that venue.

The U's are now at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, but at least the Community Stadium name will continue to stick after the Weston Homes 10-year deal, worth £2m when it was agreed in 2008, expires.

Southampton is another good example. It was pressure from Saints supporters that ensured their new ground, opened in 2000, would retain its identity with a non-commercial title (St Mary's Stadium) in addition to the name of any sponsors.

It was orginally known as The Friends Providential St Mary's Stadium, but since 2006 it has reverted to the St Mary's Stadium after new sponsors Flybe.com decided not to purchase the naming rights to the venue.

Compare that to one of the U's arch-rivals, Wycombe Wanderers, who opened their new ground at Adams Park back in 1990. The ground is named after Frank Adams, a benefactor and former captain, so imagine the outcry when that name was dropped in 2003, to be usurped by "The Causeway Stadium" following a three-year deal with the Causeway company.

Fortunately for the Chairboys, it is now called Adams Park again.

There is certainly a loss of identity when a stadium changes its name.

Wigan Athletic's home was changed from the JJB Stadium to DW Stadium in 2009, named after the DW Sports Fitness chain was acquired by owner Dave Whelan. The home was the same; it's just the name that has changed.

Wigan's ground is based in Robin Park, so why not JJB Robin Park Stadium, or DW Robin Park Stadium? At least then there would be some permanancy.

Other Premier League clubs have gone down the 100% branding route, like Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Bolton's Reebok Stadium, Stoke's Britannia Stadium and Hull's Kingston Communication Stadium.

In time, they will also change their names, without the club moving an inch in terms of geography.

Just like Manchester City - City of Manchester Stadium to the Etihad Stadium; Leicester City - Walkers Stadium to King Power Stadium; and Huddersfield Town - McAlpine Stadium to the Galpharm Stadium.

What's wrong with incorporating Eastlands into the official Manchester City ground name, or similarly Filbert Way into Leicester's name?

Of course renaming St James' Park as Sports Direct Arena is an even more difficult pill to swallow, for Newcastle fans and football fans alike. "It's sacrilege" they declare. They are not wrong.

Poor York City fans, who have not enjoyed the best of times in recent years, had to be lumbered with Bootham Crescent being rebranded as KitKat Crescent between 2005 and 2010 in deference to a chocolate bar, while long-suffering Darlington fans struggle to keep up with the re-naming of their stadium following their ill-fated move from Feethams,

Reynolds Arena, New Stadium, Williamson Motors Stadium, 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena and Northern Echo Darlington Arena. They have all been home to the Quakers since their move in 2003.

Call me old-fashioned. Call me a fuddy-duddy. Call me a dreamer.

But when I hit the road, to cover an away game with Colchester United, Ipswich Town or even Braintree, I'd like to think that if and when I returned, the ground would still be called by the same name.

And that's your lot, from my latest "KitKat U's and Me" blog.

Hits and misses

Carl Marston — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:50:00 GMT

WHENEVER a club dips into the loan market, it is always fraught with danger.

Colchester United can vouch for that. Over the years, there have been many success stories, and yet just as many torrid tales of loan players who have failed to live up to expectations.

Flying winger Michail Antonio, who has returned to Reading this week after a three-month stay with the U’s, was one of the big hits of recent times. His raw pace and considerable power entertained the crowds, and he contributed four goals to boot.

Now front-runner Casey Thomas, recruited on loan from Swansea last week, until January 2, is hoping to make a similar impact.

Successful loanees always stick in the memory – Jamie Cureton (Swindon), Rowan Vine (Portsmouth) and David Mooney (Reading) spring to mind – but those that flopped are often forgotten.

I have decided to recall some of those loan signings, of recent seasons, who have disappointed in a U’s shirt, whether through lack of talent, lack of form or just bad luck with injury.

Here’s my “top 10” of those U’s flops …. in my humble opinion … although there is a big pool from which to select!

TOP 10

1 Paul Tierney – much was expected of this young left-back, mainly because he had graduated from the Manchester United Academy and so was highly rated. Yet he never got to grips with League One, despite having appeared for the Old Trafford club in a Carling Cup game against West Brom from earlier in the season (2003-04). The last two of his four U’s outings were massive games, but he failed to really produce in either and never lasted the 90 minutes. Tierney looked out of sorts during the demoralising 3-2 home defeat to Essex rivals Southend, in the first leg of the LDV Vans Trophy southern area final, and he didn’t fare much better in the 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United in the FA Cup. Later in his career he signed for Livingston and then Altrincham

2 Titus Bramble – although this strapping centre-half has gone on to enjoy a fruitful career in the top flight, initially at Ipswich Town before moves to Newcastle, Wigan and Sunderland, Bramble’s loan stay at Layer Road at the start of the Millennium was all too brief. His debut was impressive, in a 1-1 draw at Blackpool on January 3, and just five days later he was involved in one of the best games in the U’s history, a thrilling 5-4 home win over Bristol Rovers. However, Bramble did not cover himself in glory, conceding a penalty and then hobbling off injured. That was the last we saw of him at Colchester.

3 Bela Balogh – hopes were high when this Hungarian international arrived at Layer Road for the Essex club’s fateful second season in the Championship. He had signed on a season-long loan from MTK Hungaria, but never really took to the English game. As a defender, when given time, he looked composed on the ball, but he never got to grips with the frenetic pace of the Championship. Balogh added to his international caps during his stay with the U’s – his ninth and last cap was in 2007 – but his 17 appearances in a U’s shirt were never very convincing. Still only 26, Balogh is currently playing club football back in his native Hungary for Kecskemeti.

4 Izzy McLeod – it’s not really his fault that this former £1m-rated striker should be in this “Hall of Shame.” Front-runner McLeod had switched from MK Dons to Charlton in a £1.1m move, but had failed to bag the necessary goals with the Addicks and so was loaned out to the U’s during the closing stages of their relegation season (2007-08). McLeod’s arrival was an exciting signing for the U’s, with manager Geraint Williams hoping that the striker’s pace would ruffle a few feathers. However, having made his debut as a substitute in a 1-0 home defeat by Wolves, McLeod then suffered a serious knee injury during a 4-1 defeat at Plymouth in his second and last appearance. The injury kept him out for eight months. The last we saw of him was on a stretcher leaving Home Park! However, he is now of course banging in the goals for Barnet in League Two.

5 Ron Green – player-manager Roy McDonough signed this veteran keeper from Kidderminster in November, 1992, in the U’s first season back in the Football League. However, he soon gained an unwanted reputation for venturing unwisely off his goal-line, and so it was no surprise that 10 goals were leaked in his first three appearances, including a bizarre 4-4 home draw against Rochdale. Ironically, he kept a clean-sheet in his fourth and last outing in a U’s shirt, before Carl Emberson took over the goalkeeping duties.

6 Franck Queudrue - much was expected of this veteran Frenchman, following his move from Birmingham City in March, 2010. But the experienced left-back, who is now aged 33 and on the books of Lens, did not have the best of times in League One. He made just three outings in a disappointing stay until the end of the season. His cause was not helped by injuries. His best days were certainly long behind him.

7 Michael Basham - This young defender's spell at Layer Road only lasted for a matter of a few days. Signed on loan from West Ham on November 18, 1993, the 20-year-old was injured in his first appearance at Doncaster Rovers, in a 2-1 defeat and so immediately returned to Upton Park.

8 Martin Williams - this Luton Town striker failed to impress during his short stint at Layer Road in March, 1995. He did go on to play 127 league games for Reading, but only managed three outings for Steve Wignall's side, and failed to score. He only stayed for 16 days,

9 Ritchie Jones - his Manchester United pedigree excited U's fans on his arrival in November, 2006. The 19-year-old stayed with the U's for three months at the start of the season, having previously only had first team experience at Royal Antwerp. But he only made six appearances for the U's, all of them as a substitute playing out wide. However, in Jones' defence, he did find it very difficult to break into a successful Colchester team, who went on to finish 10th in the Championship. He never played a league game for Manchester United, but is currently playing for ex-U's boss Phil Parkinson at Bradford City.

10 John Halls - Another of the younger players from the Premier League, this time Arsenal, who failed to sparkle or get to grips with the pace and physical demands of the lower leagues. Central midfielder Halls stayed for just one month, from January, 2002. He did play six games, as a raw 20-year-old, but flattered to deceive. He never played a league game for the Gunners, and is now at Wycombe.

Please give Gillespie a start!

Carl Marston — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:52:16 GMT

NOW is the time to start with Steven Gillespie.

I find it incredible that we have already had 17 league games this season, and yet Gillespie, the most natural finisher and most proven goalscorer at the club, has still not started a league match.

I thought that Gillespie would be given his chance on Tuesday night, for the visit of lowly Bournemouth, when considered that the U's had been brushed aside by Sheffield Wednesday (2-0 defeat) just three days earlier.

Several U's players looked tired at Hillsborough, and the 4-3-3 system had begun to look a bit laboured in recent games.

Manager John Ward does not make changes lightly, either from one game to the next, or during a game.

Ward's persistence with his lone striker formation has effectively kept Gillespie twiddling his thumbs on the bench, restricting his appearances to brief cameos as a second half substitute.

Kayode Odejayi played well as a target man during the first couple of months of this season, which made it difficult for Gillespie to get his chance, but the big man has not been as influential in recent games, often ploughing a lone furrow up front.

I think Odejayi needs some help, which means giving fellow striker Gillespie a long-awaited first league start in a 4-4-2 set-up for this Saturday's visit of Notts County.

Gillespie made a big impression on Tuesday night, as a 54th minute substitute, salvaging a point in an otherwise disappointing team performance by robbing Cherries left-back Warren Cummings and squaring low for defender Stephane Zubar to divert into his own net in a 1-1 draw.

I find it rather ironic that Gillespie, a player who has been dogged by injuries over the last two seasons, is now fully fit, free of injuries, and yet can still not force his way into a team who are now installed in the lower half of the division.

The U's need a lift and Gillespie, who averaged a goal every two league games last season, is the man to give it to them.

That's my view, and I believe it is the view of the vast majority of Colchester United supporters.

Gillespie is a goalscorer and a match winner.

So let's have him on the pitch from the first whistle.

Diamonds are forever?

Carl Marston — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:41:00 GMT

YOUR team might not win every week, but at last they exist!

That must be the sentiment of supporters from the now defunct Rushden & Diamonds, a club that has seemingly vanished off the face of the earth.

I was at the Diamonds' old home last week, at Nene Park, a place I had visited on a couple of previous occasions with Colchester United.

A 4-0 defeat from November, 2003, springs to mind, when a hot -headed Craig Fagan was sent off. The then-U's manager Phil Parkinson rolled back the years earlier this month, by signing striker Fagan for his current club Bradford City.

I also remember a 5-2 away win for the U's, again during Parkinson's regime, in an FA Cup tie in December, 2004. This time Fagan was a hero, rather than a villain, with a brace of goals, although he was upstaged by a fresh-faced Greg Halford, who celebrated a hat-trick as a striker.

And yet last week, I could find little trace of Rushden & Diamonds at the little-changed Nene Park. The club went out of existence last summer, and to add to their humiliation, their deadly local rivals Kettering Town have moved into their old home. They have secured a lease on the ground.

The adjoining Diamond Centre still exisits, while one of the stands is still named the "Dale Roberts Terrace" after the former Rushden & Diamonds keeper, who died at the age of just 24 before last Christmas.

But to all intents and purposes, the memory of Rushden & Diamonds has disappeared from Nene Park.

'Welcome to Kettering Town' is now emblazoned on the stadium, and the Poppies look poised to stay here for the forseeable future.

But as with so many former Football League clubs, there is hope for the future.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds was formed by supporters of the old club this summer, and a youth team is currently playing in the Northants Senior Youth League, playing their games at Kiln Park, the home of Raunds FC. The intention is to field a senior team from next year.

Football is littered with such examples of old clubs being reborn under new names.

Farnborough Town, former opponents of the U's during their Conference years, went into liquidation in 2007, but soon re-emerged as Farnborough FC. The Hampshire club, who have stayed at their Rushmoor Stadium (formerly known at Cherrywood Road) are currently plying their trade in the Blue Square South.

Scarborough FC, who once kept the U's (in 91st position) off the Football League basement during the disastrous early weeks of George Burley's tenure in 1994, were one of the oldest clubs in the land, having been formed in 1879.

The club was wound up in 2007, with debts of more than £2.5m, but has since returned to the local league scene. The Seadogs Trust (supporters group) set up Scarborough Athletic, who currently play their home games at Bridlington Town.

Another of the U's former Conference rivals, from 1990-92, was Runcorn. The Cheshire club suffered a familiar fate, going bust in 2006 after an 88-year history. They have been succeeded by Runcorn Linnets, who play in the North-West Counties League Premier Diovision.

Then of course there is Wimbledon FC, who controversially re-located to Milton Keynes in 2002. The new AFC Wimbledon, another supporters led football club, have since won five promotions in nine years and are now flying high in League Two.

There are many other examples of clubs reborn, including Maidstone United, who graced the Football League between 1989 and '92 before folding due to financial ruin. The Kent club, which now plays in the Isthmian League, is hoping to move to a new stadium for the start of next season. They have not had their own ground since 1988.

Former Football League club Gateshead, who have enjoyed a good start to the season in the Blue Square Premier, having introduced a full-time playing staff the previous year, are another to have experienced several reincarnations during their long history. The current club was formed in 1977.

So perhaps there is a bright future ahead for Rushden & Diamonds?

I doubt they will ever return to the Football League, but supporters will just be glad to have a club to follow.

Just print the truth!

Carl Marston — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:24:00 GMT

Be ware the dangers of getting carried away by sensationalist headlines and, in the words of Colchester United boss John Ward, ‘scurrilous’ reporting.

Poor Tom Bender has been in the news, and trending on Twitter, following his unfortunate collision with Accrington Stanley keeper Ian Dunbavin – he caught a punch full in the face as Dunbavin tried to clear the ball.

U’s defender Bender, who is on a season-long loan at Accrington, was treated on the pitch for 25 minutes, put on a drip and given oxygen, before being taken by ambulance to Blackburn Hospital.

The game, a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match against Tranmere, was abandoned with Rovers leading 2-1.

Bender has since made a fantastic recovery, and was discharged from hospital just 24 hours later. Results of an earlier brain scan gave him the all-clear.

That was music to Ward’s ears, although the U’s boss could not hide his disgust at some of the reporting in the immediate aftermath of Bender’s unfortunate injury.

One newspaper also had a back page headline of – ‘Game off as player fights for life.’

There were also numerous tweets, in the heat of the moment, suggesting that Bender may have even broken his neck.

This would have all been very distressing for any friend or family member of Bender’s who just happened to stumble on such a tweet or a newspaper headline.

For the record, the article under the above headline began as follows: ‘Accrington Stanley defender Tom Bender was rushed to hospital on a drip last night after a fight for life on the pitch.’

Actually, Bender had already begun to regain consciousness as he was stretchered off the pitch.

Poetic license taken to the extreme, I would suggest.

I'm all for quickfire reporting and getting the news first, but only if the facts are correct, especially when the subject is potentially so serious.

U's boss Ward has described some of the immediate reporting of Bender's unfortunate incident as 'scurrilous,' 'inappriopriate' and 'wrong.'

And I would have to agree with him.

More haste, less speed.

So I'm off for a snooze in the hammock!

It was just like playing at home, only there was atmosphere!

Carl Marston — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:18:00 GMT

BLINK, and you could have been forgiven for thinking that Colchester United were playing a home match last Saturday, except for a few notable differences.

Chesterfield's B2net Stadium bears an uncanny resemblance to the U's Weston Homes Community Stadium. It's spanking new, is predominantly blue, and boasts a capacity of about 10,000 (10,600 to be precise).

Like the U's home, there are four distinctive stands and plenty of conference and banqueting facilities. Like the U's old Layer Road ground, the Spireites old Saltergate stadium had seen better days and was not appriopriate for an ambitious club in the 21st century.

Furthermore, the cost of both stadiums was very similiar. The U's Community Stadium cost £14million; the Spireites' B2net Stadium cost £13million.

Both can also boast impressive record attendances. The U's home game against Norwich City attracted a gate of 10,064 in early 2010 (5-0 home defeat), while a crowd of 10,689 turned up for Chesterfield's local derby clash against Rotherham last March (5-0 home win).

Both grounds have also successfully hosted international football matches.

Alas, though, as must have been clear to U's chairman and owner Robbie Cowling, and his predecessor Peter Heard, who both attended Saturday's game in Derbyshire, the U's have a very long way to go to match the "Chesterfield experience."

When it's full, or houses a crowd of 6,000-plus, the Community Stadium is a fine place to watch football.

But the reality is that current attendances are only averaging just over 3,000, as opposed to the Spireites, who regularly attract gates in excess of 6,000. That makes a huge difference, especially to the atmosphere inside the stadium.

And while the U's venue is built on a slight hill - which means it is liable to be very cold - and is at an isolated location, far away from local amenities, the B2net Stadium has dozens of food outlets and pubs within walking distance. It has the feeling of being crammed into the community.

I know that Saturday was an unusually hot day, but I doubt whether a cold wind whistles through the B2net Stadium with such a blast as sometimes plagues the Community Stadium.

This proximity to to the town centre clearly benefits the football ground. Fans can converge on the stadium along busy, bustling streets, lined with shops, while it can be a lonely walk along United Way to the Community Stadium on a cold Tuesday evening. TS Elliot's "The Waste Land" springs to mind.

Of course the hope is that a retail park will eventually spring up close to the Community Stadium, and that the current isolation (desolation) is therefore finally kicked into touch.

And it is all too easy to be negative about the U's ground. No one is working harder than Mr Cowling himself to bring in the crowds, or at least improve the club's revenue in the long-term. It is clear that attendances alone aren't going to see the club break even.

The U's do have a team worthy of a bigger support, and they have the stadium to accommodate that support.

But there is no doubt if this was a football match, then the B2net Stadium would beat the Community Stadium by a couple of goals.

More miles than a long-distance lorry driver

Carl Marston — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:26:00 GMT

I RECKON I've clocked up as many miles as a long-distance lorry driver this month!

Well, not quite, but by the end of September I will have totalled 2,545 miles on the road, following the trails blazed by Colchester United, Ipswich Town and Braintree Town.

I figured that following the fortunes of three different clubs must surely guarantee some success, and so it has proved. But I won't be making a habit of it.

For the record, over the last month I have paid visits to Scunthorpe (360-mile round trip), Blackpool (546), Brentford (184), Sheffield (356), Woking (231) and Middlesbrough (503), while on Saturday's it's a first visit to Chesterfield's new ground (365).

The two demoralising experiences were at Bramall Lane and Bloomfield Road.

The U's were well and truly trounced 3-0 by Sheffield United - the highlights were parking the car within a stone's throw of the main reception, and the quality of the mushy peas in the press room - so you can tell how much fun I had that day.

A week earlier and over at Blackpool, sorry Town had fared no better. I didn't even get time to see the sea, the first time this has happened on my many trips to the holiday resort, due to my photographer colleague insisting on taking pictures of the many Town away supporters' coaches in the car park. There were 13 of them.

Personally, I would have preferred an amble on the beach and a stick of candy floss.

Town lost 2-0 and my lap-top got wet due to the lack of cover from the elements in the press box. Apart from that, I had another great day.

They were the low points.

But life on the road has its upside as well.

The U's 1-1 draws at Scunthorpe and Brentford were both satisfying days out, especially as United rallied from a goal-down, which always makes for a happier return journey. Super sub Steven Gillespie rescued a point at Glanford Park, and Anthony Wordsworth's injury-time free-kick at Griffin Park was an absolute joy. It didn't matter that I was diverted off the M4 on my departure from west London.

Further down the A12 and "Essex pub side" (a common description invented by opposition Blue Square Premier clubs) Braintree Town can do no wrong.

I have had the good fortune to watch the Iron twice on the road this season, and both times they have deserved their wins - at the New Lawn against Forest Green Rovers and at Kingfield (home of Woking) for a game against tenants Hayes & Yeading.

It didn't matter that the crowd was only 209 at Woking, or that we had missed our junction off the A3 on our way to the ground. It's always great to see a "small" club bounding from one win to the next, playing with terrific self-confidence.

It's also encouraging to see players who never quite made it in the professional game, such as former U's youth team defenders Adam Bailey-Dennis and Matt Paine, plus ex-Ipswich Academy player Jai Reason, come good at another club. All three have been excellent for the Iron this term.

The Blue Square Premier can also come up with some hidden treats, like the music played on the tannoy before kick-off at Woking, which included old gems from Jane's Addiction and Sham 69. Beats the usual dull music we are exposed to at some of the bigger clubs.

Middlesbrough away last weekend yielded a good point for Town, and perhaps an insight into a new job creation scheme in the north-east of England - we had four car parking attendants on hand to direct us into the car park, which was virtually empty when we arrived!

And so September will end with another trip up the A1 to Chesterfield on Saturday.

In the words of "Green Day" - "Wake me up, when September ends!"