Championship Season Preview 2006/07 - Colchester United

Colchester United

Odds: 250/1

Last Five Seasons
2005/06 - 2 (League One, Promoted), 2004/05 - 15 (League One), 2003/04 - 11 (League One), 2002/03 - 12 (League One), 2001/02 - 15 (League One).

2005/06 Cup Progress
FA Cup Fifth Round vs Chelsea (a) - lost 3-1.
Carling Cup First Round vs Cardiff City (h) - lost 2-0.
Football League Trophy Southern Final vs Swansea City - lost 3-1 on aggregate.

Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Chris Iwelumo (striker) - 19 goals.

Players In
Johnnie Jackson (Tottenham Hotspur - Free), Jamie Cureton (Swindon Town - Free).

Players Out
Neil Danns (Birmingham City - £500,000), Liam Chilvers (Preston North End - Free), Stephen Hunt (Notts County - Free), Sam Stockley (Wycombe Wanderers - Free), Tony Thorpe (Stevenage Borough - Free).

Colchester United stunned League One by winning automatic promotion last season but will find life much tougher in the Championship. Much of the club's success was down to dynamic young manager Phil Parkinson but United will have to do without him next season following his switch to Hull City.

Colchester even gained a temporary High Court injunction preventing Parkinson from leaving the club after Chairman Adam Pearson rejected his resignation. Hull had a £250,000 offer rejected for Parkinson, which equated to five times the value of the unexpired part of his contract. Two days later, on 29 June, Parkinson was appointed manager of Hull City after they paid £400,000 compensation. However, Colchester stipulated that Parkinson would be unable to sign any of the players he worked with during Colchester's promotion.

The club have also lost two high profile players in Neil Danns and Liam Chilvers. Former Blackburn Rovers trainee Danns, who scored 16 goals from midfield last season, joined Birmingham City for an initial £500,000 which could rise to £850,000. Chilvers rejected a new contract offer from Colchester to join Prest North End on a free transfer. The former Arsenal trainee signed a two year contract at Deepdale.

Colchester have brought in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Johnnie Jackson and it will be the second time the player has represented the club, following a loan spell in 2003. Unable to break into the Spurs team, Jackson has spent time on loan at Coventry City, Watford and Derby County and joined the Layer Road club on a free transfer.

Swindon Town striker Jamie Cureton signed for Colchester after exercising a clause in his contract following the Robins relegation from League Two. The former Norwich City and Reading striker also joined on a free transfer.

Verdict
Colchester United have not had the best preparation for the new season following Phil Parkinson's departure to Hull City and the bookmakers make them firm favourites at 13/8 for the drop.

About The Author-- David Walker runs VCBet free bet and football betting systems websites. A free email course: "Seven Days to Better Betting" is available at both of these websites.

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