Up the Us
Up the Us Promoted to the football league in 1950, Colchester United have spent all but two seasons in the bottom two divisions, bouncing between the third and fourth tiers on a regular basis. Howe...
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Two Squad Additions
The U’s opened the January transfer window with two additions.
Left-winger Carlos Costa joins the club from Toulouse on loan to the end of the season, whilst Hernan Peralta (17) is promoted from the academy to the roster of strikers.
“We are taking Carlos effectively on trial to the end of the season, when we might be in a better position to bring him in permanently, if he likes us and we like him”, said manaer Danny Cowley.
“As for Hernan, he’s a great prospect and we simply couldn’t hold him back any longer. We have so many like him in our academy, it is an exciting time for us.”
Hernan Peralta: Exciting New Talent
Both players will be looking to play as much as possible, which can only be good for the squad as a whole, with increased competition. We can’t wait to see them in action.
Carabao Cup semi final, that's not bad. And the transfer window has opened, providing new opportunities for you to strengthen the squad. You've signed a loan player, I see. Good choice giving him a short loan, makes it impossible for parent club to recall him early 😉
In the career of @LABoog4 we exchanged a word or two about the value of the League Cup. I argued its value for smaller teams and see..., The U's confirm just that!
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Carabao Cup semi final, that's not bad. And the transfer window has opened, providing new opportunities for you to strengthen the squad. You've signed a loan player, I see. Good choice giving him a short loan, makes it impossible for parent club to recall him early 😉
@JustinCase0110
That was the thinking. He was 'unwilling to move at this time' but a loan was possible and I thought I could try him out without losing him to the dreaded recall. Thought I'd see how it goes.- @Danimal5981
It does provide another opportunity for a match against a bigger side, and some TV money, true. However, it's rare these days for a smaller side to get too far because of the European qualification element.
Having said that, it's not too long ago (2013) that League Two Bradford City played a final against (at that time) Premier League Swansea... Exeter Sick of Col U
The start of 2025 saw Exeter City play Colchester twice in a few days – and lose heavily twice.
First up was the heavy 5-0 League 1 defeat, as the U’s ran riot in front of their own fans, with Fabien Louis grabbing another two goals.
Next, the BSM Trophy second round, where the U’s ran out 4-1 winners, also at home. Star of the show was Iago Miranda, who scored his first-ever hat-trick.
Iago celebrates his hat-trick
The match was also notable for the debut of striker Hernan Peralta, the academy graduate getting off to the best possible start in his career with a goal on just 23 minutes.
The U’s then played at home yet again, but the fans were not tired of spending gate money, as the U’s despatched Bristol Rovers 4-1 to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Star of this match was Samson Tovide with a double.
Tovide: MOTM
“It’s hard for fans to have three matches close to each other, but I hope they felt we gave value for money,” said manager Danny Cowley.
They certainly did.
Col U out of Carabao Cup
The U’s bowed out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Manchester City.
The U’s lost 3-1 at the Etihad but gave a really good account of themselves. As expected, they were on the back foot for the entire match, as Pep Guardiola decided to play a full first team, obviously on alert after seeing the U’s defeat Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. Goals from Foden, Kovacic and Erling Haaland saw the Sky Blues take control of the tie. At least Fabien Louis got a consolation goal he can celebrate for some time, slotting home on the breakaway with pace and touch that left City’s celebrated defence all over the place.
Louis celebrates his goal at the Etihad
After a league draw and a win, and a BSM round 3 win over Plymouth, the U’s hosted City for the return and held the Premier League giants almost to the end, when a tired side finally gave Erling Haaland half an inch, and he despatched the goal to make the final aggregate score 4-1.
“This is not a League 1 side,” said Pep Guardiola after the match. “They are a wonderful, young and exciting side, with some very good players.”
Rather ominously, he added “Fabien Louis is definitely one to watch.”
Col U Still On Top as Two Leave
The U’s continue to lead the way in League One, now 12 points clear of Derby County in third and therefore comfortably in the promotion positions, as we motor on past the half-way point in the season.
During January, two players left the club, as the U’s sold Jaden Fevrier to Palermo for £1.4 million and Owura Edwards to Elche for the same amount. The development of players such as Satoshi Takehashi and Jesus Mancilla has enabled the U’s to move on two players whose contracts were coming to the end.
Edwards (top) and Fevrier: On to New Pastures
“We couldn’t guarantee the kind of game time that Jaden and Owura wanted, so when good offers came in, we had to let them go for it” said manager Danny Cowley.
“We are pleased that they have gone to good clubs and can continue to enjoy their football.”
Losing to City is expected but it looks like you made a good showing of it. The league was the main goal coming into this season to fight for promotion and it looks like that is nearly confirmed. Plenty of season left but the way this team has played all year, promotion looks inevitable.
Club Buys Part of Stadium
For fans who have been a little perplexed at the apparent arrival of building kit and materials, these last couple of games, the truth is now out.
The club has bought a 49% stake in the stadium from the council, and the money invested to do that is to be used to expand the stadium. Colchester Council built the stadium with a seating capacity of 10,000, in a design that always left the ability to expand later. Indeed, the ground and the surrounding land is sufficient to have a much bigger stadium.
Stadium to be Upgraded
Work is starting to expand the ground to 20-25,000 seats, ready for a return to the Championship. The major work will be done in close season, but much preparation can be done now. It fits in with the rest of the development for Colchester’s leisure centre. The stadium was originally built ‘in the middle of nowhere’ alongside the major route from London to Norwich, but the intervening years has seen a steady development of facilities, including a cycle track, rugby club and, next to the stadium, completion is due on a complex including indoor bowls, a large cinema and 10 restaurants, which will turn the stadium and its surrounting area into a mecca for people wanting to pursue their leisure interests.
“We have wanted our stadium back within the club for many years”, said the club statement. “This is the culmination of that, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
The council decided to keep a majority share in the stadium to ensure its future couldn’t subsequently be compromised by anything that happens in the future. “We have seen other clubs suffer when owners sell the ground. Robbie (Cowling) is not that kind of person, but who knows what might happen in the far future? This ensures that cannot happen to Colchester United.”
It’s another step forward for what is becoming quite a progressive club.
Cup Progress
The start of February saw the U’s conquer Nottingham Forest yet again. After beating them in this season’s Carabao Cup quarter-final, the U’s ran out 2-0 winners at the City Ground in the 4th round of the FA Cup.
Norton Opens against Forest
Together with their win over the same club in last year’s Carabao Cup, that makes a hat-trick of victories over the premier league side. Fans were heard singing “Can we play you every week?” in the second half. Championship side Barnsley await in round 5.
The U’s followed that up with a quarter-final BSM Trophy win over Lincoln City, as their attempt to retain the trophy gathered pace. Academy graduate Hernan Peralta polished his growing reputation with a double against the Imps, who were once managed by U’s manager Danny Cowley.
Fabien Louis was the hero of the 5-0 thrashing of Oxford United in the league, scoring an 11-minute hat-trick in the second half, in front of a host of higher-league scouts.
“We are on a good run, most certainly” said Cowley. “The players have really found their groove now and it looks good for the rest of the season.”
Another Academy Player Steps Up
Centre-back Teddy Welsh (17) has been promoted to the first team squad, adding to the team’s defensive options.
Welsh joined the club last season and has made steady progress to the point where manager Danny Cowley decided he could make the step up.
“Teddy is big, strong and has a good footballing brain on him. He’s been brilliant at intercepting play in the reserves and he deserves his chance to make a mark.”
Welsh made a solid start in his debut against Lincoln City in the BSM Trophy, more than holding his own against a dynamic attack, and playing a big part in the victory.
The City-games seem to have been great. Losing 4-1 on aggregate seems realistic, but you did well to push them in both games. More talents coming through, the Welsh fellow already looks first team ready, and Louis seems to receive high praise, also scoring a hattrick recently.
I've just qualified for the BSM Trophy final myself. And it seems you're getting there too.
I like Pep's response: he's always overly positive about the opponents. Even if City blows them away, Pep is still talking about a very strong opponent. It's respectful from one side, but from a different angle it's an overload of feathers up someone's @$$
- @JustinCase0110 They were some of the most satisfying games I've played for a while, despite losing them both.
I have so many academy players coming through. I can't possibly keep them all, I suppose... @Danimal5981
Ha ha ha. I posted that ncomment from him simply because I think he would have said it, given the gap between us and how well we did.The U’s go Marching On
The U’s completed an entire month of victories by winning the four matches they had in the second half of February.
Olav Petersen and Xisco Aguilar scored a brace each to see off Sheffield Wednesday in the league, followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Burton Albion away from home, which saw six different names on the scoresheet. Reading were then despatched 5-1, with the U’s five goals coming from different players.
The U’s finished the month booking a trip to Wembley to defend their Bristol Street Motors trophy, in a match that saw academy debutant Xabier Rojas score in his first ever match, coming on as a late substitute and notching on 76 minutes.
The U’s are in control of League 1, five points ahead of Rotherhjam with a match in hand, and a huge 14 ahead of Derby in third, with the top two securing automatic promotion.
Fabien Louis is the U’s top goalscorer, on 21 goals, deposing Samson Tovide as the go-to striker for goals.
He also leads the League 1 goalscoring charts, with Tovide currently 10th.
FA Cup Run Continues
10-man Colchester United advanced past Championship Barnsley in the FA Cup at Camulodunum, winning 2-0 despite right-back Andres Nunez being sent off in the second half.
Barnsley who, as the bottom team in the Championship, are just one place above the U’s in the pyramid, had no answer to the supremely confident U’s, illustrating the difference between being top of one division and bottom of another.
Either side of that, the U’s recorded three more wins in the league, to continue their progress towards the Championship, where they could well replace their FA Cup opponents next season.
The Plymouth match was notable for the return of Bradley Ihionvien after 3 months out with a toe injury, and he continued where he left off, with what proved to be the winning goal for the U’s.
Bradley Ihionvien: Scoring Return
Next up in the cup is a massive test against the billionaire Premier League side Newcastle United, at St James’ Park, no less. It could be the end of the road for the U’s this season.
“We are looking forward to the challenge” said manager Danny Cowley. 52,000 in the crowd, on TV and a chance to show the country what we are about.”
@CO88LER5 wrote:
I have so many academy players coming through. I can't possibly keep them all, I suppose...I always try not to flood my squads with academy players, at least in the first couple of seasons. A mix of real players and a few academy graduates is my preferred way to go about it, currently also only having two in my first team squad at Stockport, closing in on the end of the third season. Later on I might get some more involved with real players getting older. But I always try not to flood the squad too soon.
A lot of big wins lately. 5-0, 6-0 etc. Seems a bit too easy for you at the moment...
U’s Stun Magpies in the Cup
Colchester United pulled off a major upset in the FA Cup quarter-final with a 2-0 win at St James’ Park. Star striker Fabien Louis was the hero, with two breakaway goals, to add to his growing reputation, as the U’s dug in doggedly during the entire match and hit the billionaires on the break, as the League 1 outfit sent their fans into delerium.
Fabien Louis Celebrates His Second Against Newcastle
“What can I say?” manager Danny Cowley said. “We had a plan and it worked. Fabien’s pace made him ideal to do exactly what he did, and our defence was marvellous.”
So, four teams remain, and the U’s have a semi-final at Wembley. The draw was as kind as it could be, too, pitting the Essex outfit against Fulham, whilst what the neutrals would really like as the final – Chelsea vs Liverpool – is the other semi.
Elsewhere, 4 academy players scored in the match against Northampton Town, as the U’s retained leadership of League 1 with 8 games to go.
Squad Break-Up in the Summer?
There have been a significant increase in the number of scouts from across Europe at U’s matches recently, suggesting that a number of players may be on the move in the summer. Colchester United’s exploits in the cups, most of them televised, have triggered a reaction from clubs of all sizes, setting fans’ nerves on edge.
Top of the shopping list will be Fabien Louis, who has made scoring against premier league sides a strong habit this season. After the aggregate defeat against Manchester City, Pep Guardiola singled the young Frenchman out for special praise.
Louis: in Demand this Summer?
Others likely to generate interest are established midfielders Olav Petersen and Marcel Ruiz, goalkeeper Ned Labrovic and a number of other kids, such as Satoshi Takahashi, Iago Miranda and the other scoring sensation from the academy, Xisco Aguilar.
“Our players are not for sale, certainly at the moment,” said manager Danny Cowley. “We are trying to build something special here and it’s going to take stellar offers for us to even consider it.
“Having said that, if a really big club comes in for someone, and we think it’s the right move for the player, then obviously we would have to have a conversation, but I can assure fans that we are not a selling club under any other circumstances.”
It’s a development that was probably inevitable but also unwelcome, for the fans of the club.
Trophy Retained and Promotion Gained
The U’s retained their BSM Trophy at Wembley, with a 3-0 win against their promotion rivals Rotherham United. The U’s had the upper hand from the start, with a 13th-minute Louis goal, en route to his hat-trick in the final.
The fans enjoy Wembley
“We are pleased to have retained this trophy,” said manager Danny Cowley. It shows we still have the hunger.”
The celebrations were short, given that the club had a league match three days later, where they won at Wycombe to seal promotion to the Championship.
“It’s a great reward for the hard work we’ve put in all season,” said Cowley. “We can now start planning for a tougher test next season, although of course we still have matches to play this season, and we won’t take our eye off the ball just yet.”
Back to back promotions and back to back EFL Trophy wins. And now in the FA Cup semi final too with a favourable draw. Your team go from strength to strength, and I anticipate an easy run in the Championship too.
- @JustinCase0110
It's been quite interesting, really, Some of the matches have been a stroll recently, but some of them are much harder than the score suggests, which makes it satisfying.
I think that we may well see some dramatic change to the squad in the summer, though, as a number of players have really caught the eye and bigger teams are bound to be interested. Great work on back-to-back promotions. The Championship should be exciting, the hardest league to get out of.
What players do you think you can sell for a big enough profit to reinvest into the squad?
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