Ahead of the new Sky Bet League 2 season we asked Liam Govey to take a look at each of our 23 opponents. Next up is Colchester United...
Colchester United
Address: Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5UP
Stadium capacity: 10,105
Manager: John McGreal
Transfers
In
Luke Prosser (Northampton Town), Denny Johnstone (Birmingham City), Courtney Senior (Brentford), Brennan Dickenson (Gillingham), Dexter Peter (Millwall), Ben Wyatt (Maldon & Tiptree), Doug Loft (Gillingham), Kurtis Guthrie (Forest Green Rovers) and Craig Slater (Kilmarnock)
Out
Joe Edwards (released), Tosin Olufemi (released), Darren Ambrose (released), Nicky Shorey (released), Elliott Parish (released), Marvin Sordell (Coventry City), Marley Andrews (released), Kieran Bailey (released), Tyler Brampton (released), Gavin Massey (Leyton Orient), George Moncur (Barnsley), Alex Gilbey (Wigan Athletic), Joe Edwards (Walsall)
Last Season
For the first time since 1998, Colchester United will ply their trade in the fourth tier, after a disappointing 23rd place finish in League One. With a defence that conceded the most goals in the Football League, it’s little wonder Colchester went down. The U's conceded three goals or more on seventeen occasions, and despite a brief upturn in form over Easter, Colchester became the second casualty of League One courtesy of a Lucas Akins hat-trick.
Key Players
Unsurprisingly, it’s all change at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this season, with two arrivals from Gillingham perhaps being most key; Brennan Dickenson on the wing and Doug Loft in the centre of midfield. Kurtis Guthrie will look to step up from the Vanarama National and provide the goals with Macauley Bonne and George Porter. Luke Prosser should also add the required steel to a leaky defence, alongside former Wolverhampton Wanderers centre back George Elokobi.
SkyBet Odds
Win Outright: 20/1
Promotion: 4/1
Relegation: 14/1
Fixtures
Stevenage v Colchester United - Saturday 31st December
Colchester United v Stevenage - Saturday 8th April
Video
Boro PlayerHD highlights of our 6-1 win at Colchester United back on Boxing Day 2011.