With almost everything that was good about the awesome Colchester side of last season now playing with new clubs the U's have turned to verteran Teddy Sheringham and lower league journeyman Clive Platt to score enough goals to keep them in the league.

Colchester
Last season – 10th: Newly-promoted Colchester had a magnificent season in 2006/7, scaring the pants off all the big boys and generally surprising all-comers with their success rate. Having been written off as relegation fodder at the beginning of last season, 10th was actually a disappointment for a side that wasn’t far from the play-off race throughout.

The bookies’ prediction for this season – 23th Best odds to win the league 34-1 (Victor Chandler), worst 199-1 (Betfair).

The squad: Ouch! Will the last man to leave please switch off the lights. Of the squad that had that wonderful season in 2006/6, both strikers have gone, half the midfield and half the defence. What has replaced them looks worryingly like a set of strugglers.

Colchester’s big money signing this close season is Clive Platt, the Franchise FC striker who made half of Izale McLeod’s goals for him last season. Platt has cost £300k and is making a big step up if he is to have the impact that Jamie Cureton and Chris Iwelumo had last season. He will be helped in this by 41-year old Teddy Sheringham. There’s no doubt that Sheringham’s been a great player in his time and his football brain is as sharp as a tack. He must, though, be close to that point where even thinking twice as quickly as everyone else on the pitch isn’t quite enough to overcome increasing physical frailty. New Rangers left back Chris Barker has been replaced by Palarse releasee Danny Granville and other signings include Arsenal youth centre back Matt Connolly, Orient midfielder Luke Guttridge on a free and Charlton crock Kevin Lisbie. Last season’s loanee Mark Yeates returns on a permanent basis from Spurs, for an undisclosed fee.
Likely Star Player – Teddy Sheringham (striker) – bet he scores against us

The manager: Nobody had heard of Geraint Williams this time last year, since he’d only just stepped into the gap left by Phil Parkinson’s departure to Hull, but within a couple of months he was the Championship’s manager of the month for September. He took a side that everyone, including us, had tipped for relegation almost to a play-off place and he did it by getting his team to play bright flowing football. They were a joy to watch last season, but he really has a big job on his hands now because he’s had to find replacements for some key players. Supported by his newly-appointed assistant (or should that read successor) Mickey Adams, but with little cash to play with despite his player losses, it looks as though its going to be tough for Williams.
Colchester United FC – Manager – Geraint Willimas (Survival chances: 3/10)

Head-to-Head: Rangers were turned over completely at Layer Road last season, going 2-0 down within 20 minutes and having to rely on Us defender Wayne Brown to score their consolation. At home we won 1-0 on New Year’s Day, thanks to a Ray Jones goal - the U’s have had bids for him turned down this summer.

What do we think? It looks as though the bookies are spot on with this one. Williams may be even more of a miracle worker than it appeared last season, in which case good luck to them, but it looks like there’s a relegation battle on the way, one which its difficult to see them surviving.
Verdict: Relegation on the cards

All pictures (c) Action Images

Photo: Action Images

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