As Newport County prepare for a trip to Colchester United, we take a closer look at the U’s.
What’s their story?
Founded in 1937, Colchester United began their football journey in the Southern Football League before earning election to the Football League in 1950.
For much of their early history, the club found itself competing in the Third and Fourth Divisions, but one of their most iconic moments came in 1971 when they stunned Leeds United in the FA Cup fifth round with a thrilling 3–2 victory.
The late 1980s were a difficult period for the U's, culminating in relegation to the Football Conference in 1990. However, the club bounced back swiftly, securing the Conference title in 1992 and returning to the Football League. Their success continued into the late 1990s, culminating in a memorable promotion to the Second Division in 1998 after a hard-fought 1–0 win in the play-off final against Torquay United.
The club’s rise peaked in 2006 when they finished second in League One, securing promotion to the Championship. Their debut season in the second tier saw Colchester achieve a historic 10th-place finish, ahead of regional rivals Ipswich Town and Norwich City. Although they were relegated in 2008, the U’s remained competitive in League One before a return to League Two in 2016 after a lengthy 18-year absence from the fourth tier.
Who’s the boss?
Daniel Cowley is the current head coach of Colchester United. A 46-year-old with a wealth of experience, Cowley has built a reputation as a manager who can instil resilience and discipline in his teams.
As a player, Cowley was a semi-professional midfielder, playing for a number of clubs including Dagenham & Redbridge and Concord Rangers. His managerial career began in 2008 with Concord Rangers, where he quickly earned recognition for his work in leading the club to multiple promotions. His big break came at Braintree Town, where he guided the team to the National League play-off semi-finals.
Cowley’s success continued at Lincoln City, where he led the team to the National League title and orchestrated a famous FA Cup run that saw them reach the quarter-finals.
His performances caught the eye of higher-tier clubs, and after stints with Huddersfield Town and Portsmouth in the EFL Championship, Cowley took charge of Colchester United in January 2024. Under his guidance, Colchester showed signs of resilience, going unbeaten in six of their first 20 league matches. Their determined efforts secured a crucial point on the final day of the season, ensuring survival in League Two.
Who’s the captain?
Tom Flanagan is the captain of Colchester United. A highly experienced defender, Flanagan joined the U's in 2024 after a lengthy career in the Football League.
Flanagan started his career at MK Dons, progressing through their academy before making almost fifty appearances for the club. He had several loan spells early in his career, playing for Kettering Town, Gillingham, Barnet, and Plymouth Argyle. After leaving MK Dons in 2015, he signed for Burton Albion, where he played a crucial role in their promotion to the Championship.
Flanagan’s career continued to flourish at Sunderland, where he made over 100 appearances in four years, before moving to Shrewsbury Town in 2021. After nearly 100 appearances for the Shrews, Flanagan made the move to Colchester United, bringing over 400 career appearances and a wealth of leadership experience. Flanagan has also represented Northern Ireland, earning 13 caps since his debut in 2017.
Key players
Lyle Taylor is one of the standout players for Colchester United. The striker, who joined the club on a one-year deal in 2024 from Cambridge United, has enjoyed a distinguished career across multiple tiers of English football.
Taylor began his career at Millwall before moving to Concord Rangers, where he impressed enough to earn a move to AFC Bournemouth. Although his time at Bournemouth didn’t yield a senior appearance, Taylor enjoyed productive loan spells at various clubs including Woking, Lewes, and Hereford United.
Taylor found his true form at AFC Wimbledon, where he scored 55 goals in 150 appearances over three seasons. His performances helped Charlton Athletic win promotion to the Championship, and he would go on to play for clubs such as Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City. After stints with Wycombe Wanderers and Cambridge United, Taylor signed for Colchester in 2024, bringing with him over 500 senior appearances and 195 career goals.
This season, he has netted 7 goals in 16 appearances and continues to be a key figure for the U’s. Additionally, Taylor has represented Montserrat internationally, scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances.
Jamie McDonell, an on-loan midfielder from Nottingham Forest, has also been impressive for Colchester United.
The young Northern Irishman has made 14 appearances so far this season, scoring once, and was recently nominated for the Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month award for November.
McDonell, who joined Forest in 2020, is a talented playmaker who has already begun to make an impact at Colchester.
