2008–09 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
2008–09 season
Chairman Robbie Cowling
Manager Geraint Williams
(Until 22 September 2008)
Kit Symons (Caretaker)
(22 September to
8 October 2008)

Paul Lambert
(From 9 October 2008)
League One 12th
FA Cup 1st Round
League Cup 2nd Round
Football League Trophy Semi-finals (Southern section)
Top goalscorer League:
Mark Yeates (12)

All:
Mark Yeates (13)
Highest home attendance 9,559 (Leeds United)
Lowest home attendance 3,179 (Stockport County)
Average home league attendance 5,084
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours

The 2008–09 season was Colchester United's first season back in the third tier of English football after being relegated from the Football League Championship.

Season Review

Life at the new stadium began with the announcement of a sponsorship deal that would see it being named The Weston Homes Community Stadium. The first-ever match was a reduced capacity ramp-up event against Spanish side Athletic Bilbao on 4 August 2008. Scott Vernon had the honour of scoring U's first goal at their new home as 5,610 watched a 2-1 defeat.

Fans favourite Karl Duguid left in the summer to pursue Championship football with Plymouth and Kevin Lisbie joined neighbours Ipswich for a reported £650,000 fee. Short on firepower, manager Geraint Williams broke U's transfer record yet again, bringing in Cheltenham's Steven Gillespie for £400,000.

In order to iron out any teething problems, United were granted permission by The Football League to play their first two games away from home, and thus the first-ever League fixture came on 16 August against Huddersfield when a 0-0 draw was played out. Mark Yeates became the first U's scorer in a competitive match at WHCS when he bagged both goals in a 2-2 draw with Oldham on 30 August. United couldn't force a win at home and following a 3-0 home defeat to MK Dons that left United in the bottom four with a record of 1 League win from 6, Williams was relieved of his duties.

Assistant manager Kit Symons took charge for four games amid speculation that former U's manager Phil Parkinson, then number two at Charlton, or indeed Teddy Sheringham could be the new man in charge. On 10 October 2008 former Wycombe manager Paul Lambert was unveiled as Colchester's new manager. He quickly inspired The U's to record their first home victory in a thumping 5-0 win over Carlisle 15 days later.

On 18 November 2008 the Stadium was rewarded with its first-ever international match when a Henri Lansbury goal gave England Under-19's a 1-0 win over their German counterparts in front of a record crowd of 9,692.

Lambert set to work bringing in several loan players including Marc Tierney, Jimmy Walker and Alan Maybury but a pillar of the club departed in December when Marie Partner left her post as Chief Executive as owner Robbie Cowling shuffled his upstairs pack bringing in Steve Bradshaw. Marie had been Mrs Colchester United for over 21 years and a loyal and valued servant.

Back-to-back wins over Yeovil and Northampton were the first of that kind for 19 months and set up a run spanning the New Year of nine games unbeaten.

Hopes were high, off the field, of the much-needed A12 junction but funding was still not in place because of the economic downturn and the subsequent fall in the housing market that would have contributed to the scheme.

Lambert, very publicly, pursued central defenders Mike Williamson (Wycombe) and Rob Jones (Hibernian) for the January transfer window but failed on both counts, but did sign Marc Tierney and Simon Hackney permanently.

Robbie Cowling bought out all remaining shares in the club via his Aspire Media Group to become sole owner.

A terrific run of 10 wins and four draws from 18 games earned Lambert the January Manager of the Month award as United rose to just 7 points off the Play-Offs. Funding was approved for the A12 junction in March and Lambert continued to strengthen his squad with the loan signings of Ashley Vincent, Neal Trotman and Karl Hawley.

Unfortunately the 'first season syndrome' returned to haunt United as they lost 6 of the remaining 9 home games including the last four on the trot. A new club record attendance was set in April when 9,559 watched one of those defeats to Leeds, but The U's fell back to finish in 12th position - 13 points off a Play-Off place. Strangely the U's had enjoyed their best-ever away season with 11 victories but endured their worst-ever home season with 12 defeats. Lambert vowed he would have a mass clear out in the summer and called each player in one by one before May was out to tell them their fate. He had identified his targets and Robbie Cowling was willing to try to fund those wishes.[1]

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 England GK Dean Gerken
2 England DF John White
3 England DF Matt Lockwood
4 England MF Johnnie Jackson
5 Australia DF Chris Coyne
6 England DF Paul Reid
7 England FW Steven Gillespie
8 England MF Dean Hammond
9 England FW Clive Platt
10 England MF Kemal Izzet
11 Republic of Ireland MF Mark Yeates
12 England DF Pat Baldwin
14 Nigeria FW Akanni-Sunday Wasiu
No. Position Player
15 England FW Jamie Guy
16 England DF Matt Heath
17 England MF David Perkins
18 England DF Philip Ifil
19 Republic of Ireland DF Alan Maybury
22 England MF Simon Hackney
23 England GK Mark Cousins
24 England FW Scott Vernon
27 England MF Anthony Wordsworth
30 England MF Medy Elito
32 England DF Marc Tierney
34 England MF Sam Corcoran

Player Info

No. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
1 England Dean Gerken England Southend-on-Sea 22 May 1985 England Youth Team 1 August 2002 Free
2 England John White England Colchester 26 July 1986 England Youth Team 1 July 2003 Free
3 England Matthew Lockwood England Rochford 17 October 1976 England Nottingham Forest 3 June 2008 £100,000
4 England Johnnie Jackson England Camden 15 August 1982 England Tottenham Hotspur 26 June 2006 Free
5 Australia Chris Coyne Australia Brisbane 20 December 1978 England Luton Town 10 January 2008 £350,000
6 England Paul Reid England Carlisle 18 February 1982 England Barnsley 2 July 2008 Free
7 England Steven Gillespie England Liverpool 4 June 1985 England Cheltenham Town 7 July 2008 £400,000
8 England Dean Hammond England Hastings 7 March 1983 England Brighton & Hove Albion 31 January 2008 £250,000
9 England Clive Platt England Wolverhampton 27 October 1977 England MK Dons 3 July 2007 £300,000
10 England Kemal Izzet England Whitechapel 29 September 1980 England Charlton Athletic 13 April 2001 Free
11 Republic of Ireland Mark Yeates Republic of Ireland Tallaght 11 January 1985 England Tottenham Hotspur 3 July 2007 £250,000
12 England Pat Baldwin England London 12 November 1982 England Chelsea 31 August 2002 Free
14 Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu Nigeria Nigeria 18 March 1984 England St Albans City 1 July 2008 Free
15 England Jamie Guy England Barking 1 August 1987 England Youth Team 1 July 2004 Free
16 England Matt Heath England Leicester 1 November 1981 England Leeds United 13 May 2008 Free
17 England David Perkins England Heysham 21 June 1982 England Rochdale 8 July 2008 £150,000
18 England Philip Ifil England Willesden 18 November 1986 England Tottenham Hotspur 10 January 2008 £100,000
19 Republic of Ireland Alan Maybury Republic of Ireland Dublin 8 August 1978 England Leicester City 12 December 2008 Free
22 England Simon Hackney England Manchester 5 February 1984 England Carlisle United 26 January 2009 £100,000
23 England Mark Cousins England Chelmsford 9 January 1987 England Youth Team 1 July 2004 Free
24 England Scott Vernon England Manchester 13 December 1983 England Blackpool 31 January 2008 £100,000
27 England Anthony Wordsworth England Camden 3 January 1989 England Youth Team 1 July 2006 Free
30 England Medy Elito Zaire Kinshasa 20 March 1990 England Youth Team 1 July 2007 Free
32 England Marc Tierney England Prestwich 23 August 1985 England Shrewsbury Town 2 January 2009 £100,000
34 England Sam Corcoran England Enfield 5 February 1991 England Youth Team 1 July 2008 Free

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club League Transfer Fee Notes
13 May 2008 DF England Matt Heath England Leeds United Football League One Free
3 June 2008 DF England Matt Lockwood England Nottingham Forest Football League Championship £100,000
1 July 2008 MF England Sam Corcoran England Arsenal Premier League Free
1 July 2008 FW Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu England St. Albans City Conference South Free
2 July 2008 DF England Paul Reid England Barnsley Football League Championship Free
7 July 2008 FW England Steven Gillespie England Cheltenham Town Football League One £400,000 Record transfer fee paid
8 July 2008 MF England David Perkins England Rochdale Football League Two £150,000
12 December 2008 DF Republic of Ireland Alan Maybury England Leicester City Football League One Free
2 January 2009 DF England Marc Tierney England Shrewsbury Town Football League Two £100,000
26 January 2009 MF England Simon Hackney England Carlisle United Football League One £100,000

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club League Transfer Fee Notes
31 May 2008 GK Nigeria Ademola Bankole European Union Retired N/A Free Signed as goalkeeping coach
31 May 2008 FW England Tom Webb England Halstead Town Eastern Counties Football League Division One Free
1 June 2008 GK Northern Ireland Aidan Davison European Union Retired N/A Free
1 June 2008 FW England Teddy Sheringham European Union Retired N/A Free
3 June 2008 MF England Kevin McLeod England Brighton & Hove Albion Football League One Free
4 June 2008 DF England Danny Granville England Leyton Orient Football League One Free
24 June 2008 MF England Karl Duguid England Plymouth Argyle Football League Championship Undisclosed
30 July 2008 FW Jamaica Kevin Lisbie England Ipswich Town Football League Championship £600,000
1 August 2008 MF England Kevin Watson England Luton Town Football League Two Free
4 August 2008 MF England Luke Guttridge England Northampton Town Football League One Free

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club League Date Returned Notes
25 September 2008 DF England Gary Borrowdale England Coventry City Football League Championship 12 October 2008
3 November 2008 DF England Sam Williams England Aston Villa Premier League 30 November 2008
13 November 2008 DF England Lee Hills England Crystal Palace Football League Championship 13 December 2008
20 November 2008 FW Wales Jermaine Easter England Plymouth Argyle Football League Championship 20 December 2008
27 November 2008 GK England Jimmy Walker England West Ham United Premier League 1 March 2009
27 November 2008 DF England Marc Tierney England Shrewsbury Town Football League Two 1 January 2009
15 January 2009 MF England Lewis Gobern England Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League Championship 1 June 2009
19 March 2009 DF England Neal Trotman England Preston North End Football League Championship 1 June 2009
19 March 2009 MF England Ashley Vincent England Cheltenham Town Football League One 31 May 2009
20 March 2009 FW England Karl Hawley England Preston North End Football League Championship 1 June 2009

Loans Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club League Date Returned Notes
1 August 2008 FW England Jamie Guy England Oxford United Conference National 2 January 2009
15 January 2009 GK England Dean Gerken England Darlington Football League Two 20 February 2009
15 January 2009 FW Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu England Luton Town Football League Two 15 February 2009
2 February 2009 DF England Matt Lockwood England Barnet Football League Two 5 April 2009
2 March 2009 DF England Matt Heath England Brighton & Hove Albion Football League One 31 May 2009
3 March 2009 FW England Jamie Guy England Dagenham & Redbridge Football League Two 31 May 2009
20 March 2009 FW England Scott Vernon England Northampton Town Football League One 31 May 2009

Results

League One Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
11Bristol Rovers 461712177961+1863
12Colchester United 46189195858063
13Walsall 461710196166-561

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

League One Results Round by Round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAHHAAAHAHAHA
Result L D W D L L W L L L W L W D L L W W L W D W W D W D W W L L L W D D W W L D L W L L L W L W
Position 22 21 10 12 20 23 17 17 20 21 18 19 16 18 20 21 20 16 16 16 16 15 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 11 12 12 10 10 11 11 13 10 11 13 14 12 14 12

Source:
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

League One Results

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
09/08/2008 Hartlepool United A 2–4 3,831 Gillespie (2)
16/08/2008 Huddersfield Town H0–0 5,340
23/08/2008 Swindon Town A 3–1 7,031 Jackson, Vernon, Wasiu
30/08/2008 Oldham Athletic H 2–2 4,708 Yeates (2)
13/09/2008 Crewe Alexandra A 0–2 3,510
20/09/2008 MK Dons H0–3 4,888
26/09/2008 Tranmere Rovers A 4–3 5,713 Perkins, Yeates, Platt, Jackson
30/09/2008 Leicester City H 0–1 5,133
04/10/2008 Bristol Rovers H 0–1 4,811
11/10/2008 Cheltenham Town A 3–4 3,580 Wordsworth (2), Jackson
18/10/2008 Stockport County A 2–1 6,025 Perkins, Platt
21/10/2008 Millwall H 1–2 5,506 Izzet
25/10/2008 Carlisle United H 5–0 5,152 Perkins, Yeates (2), Hammond, Wasiu
01/11/2008 Southend United A 3–3 8,920 Jackson, Yeates, Wordsworth
15/11/2008 Walsall H 0–2 4,071
22/11/2008 Peterborough United A 1–2 7,401 Platt
25/11/2008 Yeovil Town H 1–0 3,214 Easter
29/11/2008 Northampton Town A 2–1 4,833 Platt, Reid
06/12/2008 Hereford United H 1–2 4,794 Easter
13/12/2008 Leeds United A 2–1 19,625 Hammond, Yeates
20/12/2008 Scunthorpe United H 0–0 4,606
26/12/2008 Brighton & Hove Albion A 2–1 6,299 Hinshelwood (o.g.), Vernon
28/12/2008 Leyton Orient H 1–0 6,290 Gillespie (pen.)
12/01/2009 MK Dons A 1–1 8,408 Platt
17/01/2009 Cheltenham Town H 3–1 4,183 Hammond, Gillespie, Yeates
24/01/2009 Bristol Rovers A 0–0 6,634
27/01/2009 Northampton Town H 2–1 3,973 Yeates, Vernon
31/01/2009 Carlisle United A 2–0 5,745 Livesey (o.g.), Perkins
10/02/2009 Tranmere Rovers H 0–1 3,588
14/02/2009 Walsall A 0–2 3,719
21/02/2009 Southend United H 0–1 8,651
24/02/2009 Stockport County H 1–0 3,179 Tierney
28/02/2009 Hartlepool United H 1–1 5,158 Vernon
03/03/2009 Huddersfield Town A 2–2 10,580 Hammond (2)
07/03/2009 Oldham Athletic A 1–0 4,591 Platt
10/03/2009 Swindon Town H 3–2 3,827 Platt (2), Perkins
14/03/2009 Crewe Alexandra H 0–1 4,907
21/03/2009 Leicester City A 1–1 20,218 Yeates
28/03/2009 Scunthorpe United A 0–3 4,304
31/03/2009 Millwall A 1–0 8,071 Platt
04/04/2009 Leeds United H 0–1 9,559
11/04/2009 Leyton Orient A 1–2 4,685 Platt
13/04/2009 Brighton & Hove Albion H 0–1 4,873
18/04/2009 Hereford United A 2–0 2,100 Yeates, Beckwith (o.g.)
25/04/2009 Peterborough United H 0–1 6,532
02/05/2009 Yeovil Town A 2–0 5,237 Vincent, Yeates

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12/08/2008 R1 Gillingham A 1–0 2,566 Heath
26/08/2008 R2 Ipswich Town A 1–2 17,084 Gillespie

Football League Trophy

Southern Section

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
02/09/2008 R1 (S) Millwall A 1–0 2,456 Perkins
07/10/2008 R2 (S) Gillingham A 1–0 1,557 Yeates
07/10/2008 Area QF Bournemouth A 1–0 2,275 Williams
07/10/2008 Area SF Luton Town A 0–1 2,638

FA Cup

Main article: 2008–09 FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
08/11/2008 R1 Leyton Orient H 0–1 4,600

Squad statistics

[2]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total League One FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK England Dean Gerken 24 0 21 0 0 0 2 0 1 0
2 DF England John White 32 0 19+7 0 1 0 1 0 4 0
3 DF England Matt Lockwood 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 MF England Johnnie Jackson 34 4 22+7 4 1 0 1 0 3 0
5 DF Australia Chris Coyne 22 0 17+2 0 0 0 1 0 1+1 0
6 DF England Paul Reid 29 1 25+1 1 0 0 2 0 1 0
7 FW England Steven Gillespie 20 5 8+9 4 0 0 0+1 1 1+1 0
8 MF England Dean Hammond 47 5 38+3 5 0 0 2 0 4 0
9 FW England Clive Platt 48 10 39+4 10 1 0 2 0 1+1 0
10 MF England Kemal Izzet 48 1 39+4 1 1 0 1+1 0 2 0
11 MF Republic of Ireland Mark Yeates 50 13 42+1 12 1 0 2 0 1+3 1
12 DF England Pat Baldwin 41 0 38 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
14 FW Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu 19 2 3+12 2 0+1 0 0 0 2+1 0
15 FW England Jamie Guy 4 0 1+3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 DF England Matt Heath 21 1 11+3 0 1 0 2 1 4 0
17 MF England David Perkins 43 6 35+3 5 1 0 0+1 0 2+1 1
18 DF England Philip Ifil 10 0 5+1 0 0 0 2 0 2 0
19 DF Republic of Ireland Alan Maybury 26 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
20 DF England Neal Trotman 6 0 5+1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 MF England Ashley Vincent 6 1 5+1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 MF England Simon Hackney 17 0 11+6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 GK England Mark Cousins 13 0 9 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
24 FW England Scott Vernon 40 4 15+18 4 0+1 0 2 0 3+1 0
26 MF England Lewis Gobern 12 0 5+7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 MF England Anthony Wordsworth 36 3 9+21 3 1 0 2 0 3 0
28 FW England Karl Hawley 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 MF England Medy Elito 8 0 0+5 0 0+1 0 0+1 0 1 0
32 DF England Marc Tierney 26 1 26 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
34 MF England Sam Corcoran 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
19 DF England Gary Borrowdale 5 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
20 DF England Sam Williams 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1
21 GK England Jimmy Walker 16 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 DF England Lee Hills 2 0 1+1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 FW Wales Jermaine Easter 5 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

Scorers

Assists

[4]

Assistant League Cup Total
Republic of Ireland Mark Yeates 11 0 11
England Kemal Izzet 4 1 5
England Johnnie Jackson 3 0 3
England David Perkins
England Clive Platt 2 2
England Scott Vernon 1 1
England Lewis Gobern 0 1
England Simon Hackney
England Dean Hammond
England Marc Tierney
England Ashley Vincent
England John White
England Anthony Wordsworth
Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu 0 1

Disciplinary record

[5]

Pos. Name League Cups Total
Red cardRed cardRed card
DF England Pat Baldwin 3 0 0 0 3 0
DF Australia Chris Coyne 3 0 1 0 4 0
FW Wales Jermaine Easter 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England Steven Gillespie 2 1 0 0 2 1
MF England Dean Hammond 10 0 0 0 10 0
DF England Matt Heath 2 0 2 0 4 0
DF England Philip Ifil 1 0 1 0 2 0
MF England Kemal Izzet 7 0 0 0 7 0
MF England Johnnie Jackson 4 0 0 0 4 0
DF Republic of Ireland Alan Maybury 5 0 1 0 6 0
MF England David Perkins 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Clive Platt 9 0 1 0 10 0
DF England Paul Reid 4 0 1 0 5 0
DF England Marc Tierney 5 0 0 0 5 0
FW England Neal Trotman 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW Nigeria Akanni-Sunday Wasiu 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF England John White 2 0 1 0 3 0
MF England Anthony Wordsworth 6 0 1 0 7 0
MF Republic of Ireland Mark Yeates 4 0 1 0 5 0

Most Frequent Starting XI

This section shows players in a 4-5-1 formation with the most league starts during the season.

No. Pos. Name Apps. Goals
1 GK England Dean Gerken 21 0
19 DF Republic of Ireland Alan Maybury 25 0
12 DF England Pat Baldwin 35 0
6 DF England Paul Reid 25 1
32 DF England Marc Tierney 26 1
11 MF Republic of Ireland Mark Yeates 42 12
17 MF England David Perkins 35 5
8 MF England Dean Hammond 38 5
10 MF England Kemal Izzet 39 1
4 MF England Johnnie Jackson 22 4
9 FW England Clive Platt 39 10

References

  1. "The U's History: The 00s". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. "2008–09 Season Appearance Data". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  3. "2008–09 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. "2008–09 Season Assists Data". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  5. "2008–09 Season Discipline Data". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.