2016–17 Colchester United F.C. season
Colchester United Football team season / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2016–17 season was Colchester United's 80th season in their history and their first season competing in League Two following their relegation from League One in the 2015–16 season. It was their first season in the fourth tier of English football for 18-years.[5] Along with competing in League Two, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
Owner | Robbie Cowling | |||
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Chairman | Robbie Cowling[1] | |||
Head coach | John McGreal | |||
Stadium | Colchester Community Stadium | |||
League Two | 8th | |||
FA Cup | 1st round (eliminated by Chesterfield) | |||
EFL Cup | 1st round (eliminated by Brighton & Hove Albion) | |||
EFL Trophy | Group stage | |||
Top goalscorer | League: Chris Porter (16) All: Chris Porter (16) | |||
Highest home attendance | 7,003 v Leyton Orient, 12 November 2016[2] | |||
Lowest home attendance | 548 v Charlton Athletic, 8 November 2016[3] | |||
Average home league attendance | 3,637[4] | |||
Biggest win | 4–0 v Crewe Alexandra, 26 November 2016 v Stevenage, 8 April 2017 | |||
Biggest defeat | 0–4 v Brighton & Hove Albion, 9 August 2016 v Portsmouth, 11 March 2017 | |||
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Distinct changes in form and a series of lengthy squad injuries dictated Colchester's season. Many first-team players found themselves ruled out by injury, including Matthew Briggs, Kurtis Guthrie, Denny Johnstone, Frankie Kent, Lewis Kinsella, Doug Loft, Luke Prosser, Craig Slater, and Sammie Szmodics. Early season promise faded in late September with a winless run that stretched to the end of November. A turn in fortunes saw the U's win seven out of eight league games through December into January, earning John McGreal the December League Two Manager of the Month award. They again suffered patchy form from January onwards until a late push for the play-offs saw a return to form in April. Colchester fell just one point short of a play-off place on the final day of the League Two season, finishing in eighth position.
In the cup competitions, the U's were defeated in the first round of the EFL Cup and FA Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion and Chesterfield respectively, while they finished bottom of their group in the revamped EFL Trophy competition.