List of Colchester United F.C. managers

Colchester United Football Club is an English association football club based in Colchester, Essex that plays in Football League One.

The twelve directors that formed the Board appointed Ted Davis, a former Huddersfield goalkeeper and Bath City manager, to be in charge of team affairs. On 14 July 1937 came the public announcement that the new club would be named Colchester United - a week after Davis' Yorkshire contacts enabled the players to be kitted out in the same blue and white strip as his former club Huddersfield. In the 1939–40 season, after just three Southern League games, the Second World War was declared and the club closed down until the war was over in 1945.

The determination of former Colchester Town player Syd Fieldus along with a couple of Directors kept the club alive but dormant during the war years. Fieldus was appointed Secretary-Manager for 1945–46, and liaising with Major Dai Rees, forged a strong relationship with the Garrison and as United only had four contracted players the Colchester team was complimented by servicemen of varying degrees of ability. Fieldus urged the board to appoint a full-time manager for the 1946–47 season. The new manager was no stranger to Layer Road. Ted Fenton, of West Ham fame, had turned out for Colchester Town in the early 1930s whilst a teenager. He had excellent contacts and wasted no time in assembling his team from an array of professionals looking for a new start after the long war years. Following a successful FA Cup run in 1947–48, he became assistant manager at West Ham in the summer of 1948.

Former Aston Villa and Portsmouth centre-half Jimmy Allen was given the reigns and the ex-England international took over the mandate to get Colchester into the Football League. Colchester were elected to the Football League in the summer of 1950 under Allen's management.^[1] Allen resigned on May 2, 1953. Jack Butler, a former Arsenal player, was appointed Allen's replacement. Butler had been coaching in Belgium with the Royal Daring Club and had been in charge of the Belgian national team between 1935–40 leading them to the 1938 FIFA World Cup Finals. Suffering from a nervous breakdown Butler resigned in January 1955. The Board chose Benny Fenton to be player/manager. Fenton assembled his own squad for 1955–56. Fenton gained a reputation for spotting players in Scottish Junior football with the acquisition of John Fowler, Sammy McLeod and Bobby Hill.^[2] Benny Fenton left and took over the manager's role at Orient in November 1963. Replacing him was former Stoke and England centre-half Neil Franklin. Suffering three relegations in eight seasons was too much and Franklin was sacked.

Colchester's new manager was Dick Graham. Graham then adopted a policy of employing an older more experienced player.^[3] When the club held its AGM in September 1972, Graham was so incensed of the questioning, by a shareholder, of his team and tactics that he tendered his resignation. A month later an unknown Jim Smith was appointed manager. He had led Boston United to the Northern Premier League title. Smith left to join Second Division Blackburn in the summer of 1975. His coach Bobby Roberts was appointed manager.^[4]

Following a drop in form, Roberts was asked to resign in April 1982. He refused and was promptly sacked a month later. Former Ipswich centre-half Allan Hunter accepted a player-manager's role and introduced former Ipswich coach Cyril Lea as his assistant for 1982–83. On the back of having to give up his own playing career through injury and the John Lyons' suicide, Hunter resigned in January 1982 with United in seventh place. Lea took over until the end of the campaign and won 8 of his first eleven games. Four defeats in 17 days during April cost U's and again they finished sixth just two points away from promotion. Four months after becoming caretaker, Lea was appointed full-time with Stewart Houston assisting. He had a good record and produced a free-scoring side but could not get the club over the promotion finishing line and was sacked.

Former goalkeeper Mike Walker, coach of U's reserves, took over as caretaker and United were unbeaten in the remaining eight matches - winning five. Walker had hoisted U's to seventh just nine points short of promotion. Walker was appointed full-time becoming Colchester's fourth manager of the 1980s. He was sensationally sacked by the chairman Jonathan Crisp as United were joint top of the Fourth Division. Crisp claimed Walker had resigned, but an alleged personal matter between the pair was said to have been the spark. Roger Brown took over the team. On 15 October 1988, Leyton Orient despatched Brown's sorry team by 8-0 at Brisbane Road. The manager's days were over, and caretaker Steve Foley disposed of Brown's misfits.

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Jock Wallace in charge with England World Cup winner Alan Ball as his assistant. Ball left for Stoke and it was a closely guarded secret that Wallace was very ill with the onset of Parkinson's Disease. Wallace moved upstairs and once again Foley was in temporary charge. Former Ipswich and England defender Mick Mills, recently sacked from Stoke, was made the new manager, as Colchester were relegated from the Football league to the Conference.^[5]

The onus was on new Player Manager Ian Atkins to make an immediate return to the Football League. The U's, playing as a fully professional team, finished runners-up, as Atkins joined Birmingham as coach. The new chairman appointed Roy McDonough as manager, who had been Atkins' assistant. He led Colchester back to the Football League at the second attempt, winning the FA Trophy to complete a non-league double. Following a disappointing 1993–94 season, McDonough was sacked. Former Ipswich full-back George Burley was appointed McDonough's replacement in July 1994. Tapped up by Ipswich, who had been refused permission to speak to him, Burley walked out on fifth placed Colchester.

Dale Roberts became caretaker for United's first-ever encounter with a Premiership side in a cup tie against Wimbledon. Steve Wignall was named as new manager in January 1995. Under Wignall's management, the U's finished as runners-up in the 1997 Football League Trophy Final and won promotion via the 1998 Football League Third Division play-off Final. Wignall quit in 1999 citing that he had taken his team as far as he could and was frustrated at the role agents were playing in transfer deals he was trying to set up.

Steve Whitton, Wignall's assistant, became caretaker before Mick Wadsworth, former Scarborough manager, was appointed, keeping Whitton on as assistant.^[6] Wadsworth later resigned, citing travelling distance to work as his main reason for leaving. Whitton was promoted to become manager in August 1999. After losing to Conference side Chester in the FA Cup at Layer Road and a run of seven games without a win he left by mutual consent in January 2003. Assistant Geraint Williams took caretaker charge, before Reading's player-coach Phil Parkinson as appointed as United's new boss. Under Parkinson, the U's reached the 5th round of the FA Cup and later achieved promotion to the Championship. Parkinson, however, resigned on June 13, 2006 to take over at Hull City.

Geraint Williams was charged with the daunting task of leading United in their first season in the Championship. The 10th-placed finish they achieved in the 2006–07 season was the highest in the club's history making them 30th in the entire Football League. Colchester were relegated back to League One in 2008, and following a poor run, United were in the bottom four with a record of 1 League win from 6, as Williams was relieved of his duties. Assistant manager Kit Symons took charge for four games, but 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 the first day of the 2009–10 season, United walloped Norwich in a truly sensational 7-1 thrashing at Carrow Road. Norwich approached the Colchester chairman over taking Lambert as their new manager following their sacking of Bryan Gunn. Former Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd was unveiled as successor to Lambert on 3 September 2009.^[7]

In the summer of 2010, Boothroyd joined Coventry City as their new manager on a three-year deal after he led the U's to eighth place in League One.^[8] Colchester promoted John Ward to be new manager following the departure of Boothroyd, having been his assistant.^[9][10] After two mid-table finishes Ward was sacked after a poor start to the 2012-13 Season, being replaced by his assistant Joe Dunne. Joe Dunne was replaced in 2014 by Tony Humes.

Managers

All first team matches are counted, except wartime matches.

Statistics are correct as of 26 November 2015.

Name	Nationality	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %	Honours	Ref
Davis, TedTed Davis	England	000000001937-07-14-000014 July 1937	000000001939-09-02-00002 September 1939	7002128000000000000♠128	7001800000000000000♠80	7001170000000000000♠17	7001310000000000000♠31	7002327000000000000♠327	7002155000000000000♠155	7002172000000000000♠+172	7001625000000000000♠62.5	1938–39 Southern League champions 1939–40 Southern League Cup winners	[11]
Fieldus, SydSyd Fieldus	England	000000001945-08-01-00001 August 1945	000000001946-07-31-000031 July 1946	7001300000000000000♠30	7001100000000000000♠10	7000700000000000000♠7	7001130000000000000♠13	7001490000000000000♠49	7001690000000000000♠69	2998800000000000000♠−20	7001333009999900000♠33.3		[11]
Fenton, TedTed Fenton	England	000000001946-08-01-00001 August 1946	000000001948-05-31-000031 May 1948	7001880000000000000♠88	7001480000000000000♠48	7001170000000000000♠17	7001230000000000000♠23	7002214000000000000♠214	7002135000000000000♠135	7001790000000000000♠+79	7001545000000000000♠54.5		[11][12]
Allen, JimmyJimmy Allen	England	000000001948-07-01-00001 July 1948	000000001953-04-01-00001 April 1953	7002249000000000000♠249	7002108000000000000♠108	7001590000000000000♠59	7001820000000000000♠82	7002433000000000000♠433	7002380000000000000♠380	7001530000000000000♠+53	7001434000000000000♠43.4	1949–50 Southern League runners-up 1949–50 Southern League Cup winners	[11][13]
Butler, JackJack Butler	England	000000001953-06-01-00001 June 1953	000000001955-01-31-000031 January 1955	7001770000000000000♠77	7001160000000000000♠16	7001190000000000000♠19	7001420000000000000♠42	7001850000000000000♠85	7002138000000000000♠138	2998470000000000000♠−53	7001208000000000000♠20.8		[11][14]
Fenton, BennyBenny Fenton	England	000000001955-02-01-00001 February 1955	000000001963-10-31-000031 October 1963	7002427000000000000♠427	7002166000000000000♠166	7002107000000000000♠107	7002154000000000000♠154	7002736000000000000♠736	7002733000000000000♠733	7000300000000000000♠+3	7001389000000000000♠38.9	1961–62 Fourth Division runners-up	[11][15]
Franklin, NeilNeil Franklin	England	000000001963-11-01-00001 November 1963	000000001968-05-01-00001 May 1968	7002234000000000000♠234	7001720000000000000♠72	7001620000000000000♠62	7002100000000000000♠100	7002313000000000000♠313	7002383000000000000♠383	2998300000000000000♠−70	7001308000000000000♠30.8		[11][16]
Graham, DickDick Graham	England	000000001968-07-01-00001 July 1968	000000001972-09-08-00008 September 1972	7002216000000000000♠216	7001930000000000000♠93	7001510000000000000♠51	7001720000000000000♠72	7002322000000000000♠322	7002288000000000000♠288	7001340000000000000♠+34	7001431000000000000♠43.1	1971 Watney Cup winners	[11][17]
Mochan, DennisDennis Mochan	Scotland	000000001972-09-08-00008 September 1972	000000001972-10-01-00001 October 1972	7000500000000000000♠5	5000000000000000000♠0	7000200000000000000♠2	7000300000000000000♠3	7000200000000000000♠2	7000800000000000000♠8	2999400000000000000♠−6	5000000000000000000♠0.0		[11]
Smith, JimJim Smith	England	000000001972-10-01-00001 October 1972	000000001975-06-20-000020 June 1975	7002140000000000000♠140	7001550000000000000♠55	7001360000000000000♠36	7001490000000000000♠49	7002198000000000000♠198	7002167000000000000♠167	7001310000000000000♠+31	7001393009999900000♠39.3		[11][18]
Roberts, BobbyBobby Roberts	Scotland	000000001975-06-20-000020 June 1975	000000001982-05-03-00003 May 1982	7002375000000000000♠375	7002143000000000000♠143	7002108000000000000♠108	7002124000000000000♠124	7002504000000000000♠504	7002451000000000000♠451	7001530000000000000♠+53	7001381000000000000♠38.1		[11][19]
Hunter, AllanAllan Hunter	Northern Ireland	000000001982-05-05-00005 May 1982	000000001983-01-18-000018 January 1983	7001360000000000000♠36	7001170000000000000♠17	7000700000000000000♠7	7001120000000000000♠12	7001510000000000000♠51	7001390000000000000♠39	7001120000000000000♠+12	7001472000000000000♠47.2		[11][20]
Lea, CyrilCyril Lea	Wales	000000001983-02-01-00001 February 1983	000000001986-04-10-000010 April 1986	7002173000000000000♠173	7001710000000000000♠71	7001460000000000000♠46	7001560000000000000♠56	7002294000000000000♠294	7002243000000000000♠243	7001510000000000000♠+51	7001410000000000000♠41.0		[11][21]
Walker, MikeMike Walker	Wales	000000001986-04-10-000010 April 1986	000000001987-11-01-00001 November 1987	7001830000000000000♠83	7001370000000000000♠37	7001160000000000000♠16	7001300000000000000♠30	7002120000000000000♠120	7002102000000000000♠102	7001180000000000000♠+18	7001446000000000000♠44.6		[11][22]
Brown, RogerRoger Brown	England	000000001987-11-01-00001 November 1987	000000001988-10-01-00001 October 1988	7001480000000000000♠48	7001160000000000000♠16	7001120000000000000♠12	7001200000000000000♠20	7001460000000000000♠46	7001680000000000000♠68	2998780000000000000♠−22	7001333009999900000♠33.3		[11][23]
Foley, SteveSteve Foley	England	000000001988-10-01-00001 October 1988	000000001988-12-12-000012 December 1988	7001180000000000000♠18	7000500000000000000♠5	7000500000000000000♠5	7000800000000000000♠8	7001280000000000000♠28	7001310000000000000♠31	2999700000000000000♠−3	7001277000000000000♠27.7		[11]
Wallace, JockJock Wallace	Scotland	000000001988-12-12-000012 December 1988	000000001989-12-20-000020 December 1989	7001520000000000000♠52	7001120000000000000♠12	7001160000000000000♠16	7001240000000000000♠24	7001630000000000000♠63	7001870000000000000♠87	2998760000000000000♠−24	7001231000000000000♠23.1		[11][24]
Foley, SteveSteve Foley	England	000000001989-12-20-000020 December 1989	000000001990-01-02-00002 January 1990	7000300000000000000♠3	7000200000000000000♠2	5000000000000000000♠0	7000100000000000000♠1	7000500000000000000♠5	7000300000000000000♠3	7000200000000000000♠+2	7001666009999900000♠66.6		[11][25]
Mills, MickMick Mills	England	000000001990-01-03-00003 January 1990	000000001990-05-09-00009 May 1990	7001250000000000000♠25	7000800000000000000♠8	7000300000000000000♠3	7001140000000000000♠14	7001270000000000000♠27	7001370000000000000♠37	2998900000000000000♠−10	7001320000000000000♠32.0		[11][26]
Atkins, IanIan Atkins	England	000000001990-06-01-00001 June 1990	000000001991-06-30-000030 June 1991	7001510000000000000♠51	7001300000000000000♠30	7001110000000000000♠11	7001100000000000000♠10	7001800000000000000♠80	7001460000000000000♠46	7001340000000000000♠+34	7001588000000000000♠58.8	1990–91 Conference runners-up	[11][27]
McDonough, RoyRoy McDonough	England	000000001991-07-01-00001 July 1991	000000001994-05-15-000015 May 1994	7002155000000000000♠155	7001690000000000000♠69	7001330000000000000♠33	7001530000000000000♠53	7002271000000000000♠271	7002226000000000000♠226	7001450000000000000♠+45	7001445000000000000♠44.5	1991–92 Conference winners 1992 FA Trophy winners	[11][28]
Burley, GeorgeGeorge Burley	Scotland	000000001994-06-01-00001 June 1994	000000001994-12-26-000026 December 1994	7001260000000000000♠26	7001120000000000000♠12	7000600000000000000♠6	7000800000000000000♠8	7001410000000000000♠41	7001380000000000000♠38	7000300000000000000♠+3	7001462000000000000♠46.2		[11][29]
Roberts, DaleDale Roberts	England	000000001994-12-26-000026 December 1994	000000001995-01-12-000012 January 1995	7000500000000000000♠5	7000100000000000000♠1	7000100000000000000♠1	7000300000000000000♠3	7000500000000000000♠5	7000700000000000000♠7	2999800000000000000♠−2	7001200000000000000♠20.0		[11]
Wignall, SteveSteve Wignall	England	000000001995-01-12-000012 January 1995	000000001999-01-21-000021 January 1999	7002218000000000000♠218	7001810000000000000♠81	7001640000000000000♠64	7001730000000000000♠73	7002289000000000000♠289	7002283000000000000♠283	7000600000000000000♠+6	7001372000000000000♠37.2	1998 Third Division play-off winners 1997 League Trophy runners-up	[11][30]
Whitton, SteveSteve Whitton[A]	England	000000001999-01-21-000021 January 1999	000000001999-01-28-000028 January 1999	7000100000000000000♠1	5000000000000000000♠0	7000100000000000000♠1	5000000000000000000♠0	7000300000000000000♠3	7000300000000000000♠3	5000000000000000000♠0	5000000000000000000♠0.0		[11][31]
Wadsworth, MickMick Wadsworth	England	000000001999-01-28-000028 January 1999	000000001999-08-25-000025 August 1999	7001240000000000000♠24	7000700000000000000♠7	7000700000000000000♠7	7001100000000000000♠10	7001280000000000000♠28	7001410000000000000♠41	2998870000000000000♠−13	7001292000000000000♠29.2		[11][32]
Whitton, SteveSteve Whitton	England	000000001999-08-25-000025 August 1999	000000002003-01-29-000029 January 2003	7002180000000000000♠180	7001520000000000000♠52	7001440000000000000♠44	7001840000000000000♠84	7002221000000000000♠221	7002287000000000000♠287	2998340000000000000♠−66	7001288000000000000♠28.8		[11][31]
Williams, GeraintGeraint Williams	Wales	000000002003-01-29-000029 January 2003	000000002003-02-25-000025 February 2003	7000500000000000000♠5	7000200000000000000♠2	7000300000000000000♠3	5000000000000000000♠0	7000400000000000000♠4	7000400000000000000♠4	5000000000000000000♠0	7001400000000000000♠40.0		[11][33]
Parkinson, PhilPhil Parkinson	England	000000002003-02-25-000025 February 2003	000000002006-06-14-000014 June 2006	7002187000000000000♠187	7001790000000000000♠79	7001540000000000000♠54	7001540000000000000♠54	7002256000000000000♠256	7002203000000000000♠203	7001530000000000000♠+53	7001428009999900000♠42.8	2006 League One runners-up	[11][34]
Williams, GeraintGeraint Williams	Wales	000000002006-07-28-000028 July 2006	000000002008-09-22-000022 September 2008	7002104000000000000♠104	7001310000000000000♠31	7001270000000000000♠27	7001460000000000000♠46	7002146000000000000♠146	7002161000000000000♠161	2998850000000000000♠−15	7001298000000000000♠29.8		[11][33]
Symons, KitKit Symons	Wales	000000002008-09-22-000022 September 2008	000000002008-10-09-00009 October 2008	7000500000000000000♠5	7000200000000000000♠2	5000000000000000000♠0	7000300000000000000♠3	7000800000000000000♠8	7000900000000000000♠9	2999900000000000000♠−1	7001400000000000000♠40.0		[11]
Lambert, PaulPaul Lambert	Scotland	000000002008-10-09-00009 October 2008	000000002009-08-18-000018 August 2009	7001420000000000000♠42	7001190000000000000♠19	7000700000000000000♠7	7001160000000000000♠16	7001550000000000000♠55	7001430000000000000♠43	7001120000000000000♠+12	7001452000000000000♠45.2		[11][35]
Dunne, JoeJoe Dunne	Ireland	000000002009-08-18-000018 August 2009	000000002009-09-01-00001 September 2009	7000400000000000000♠4	7000100000000000000♠1	7000100000000000000♠1	7000200000000000000♠2	7000500000000000000♠5	7000600000000000000♠6	2999900000000000000♠−1	7001250000000000000♠25.0		[11][36]
Boothroyd, AidyAidy Boothroyd	England	000000002009-09-02-00002 September 2009	000000002010-05-20-000020 May 2010	7001440000000000000♠44	7001190000000000000♠19	7001120000000000000♠12	7001130000000000000♠13	7001560000000000000♠56	7001520000000000000♠52	7000400000000000000♠+4	7001432000000000000♠43.2	2009–10 Essex Senior Cup winners	[11][37]
Ward, JohnJohn Ward	England	000000002010-05-31-000031 May 2010	000000002012-09-24-000024 September 2012	7002111000000000000♠111	7001330000000000000♠33	7001390000000000000♠39	7001390000000000000♠39	7002139000000000000♠139	7002169000000000000♠169	2998760000000000000♠−24	7001297000000000000♠29.7		[11][38]
Dunne, JoeJoe Dunne	Ireland	000000002012-09-27-000027 September 2012	000000002014-09-01-00001 September 2014	7001450000000000000♠45	7001160000000000000♠16	7001100000000000000♠10	7001190000000000000♠19	7001800000000000000♠80	7002100000000000000♠100	2998800000000000000♠−20	7001284000000000000♠28.4		[11][36]
Humes, TonyTony Humes	England	000000002014-09-01-00001 September 2014	000000002015-11-26-000026 November 2015	7001670000000000000♠67	7001220000000000000♠22	7001150000000000000♠15	7001300000000000000♠30	7002101000000000000♠101	7002126000000000000♠126	2998750000000000000♠−25	7001328009999900000♠32.8		[11][39]

Notes

A. ^ : Steve Whitton was joint caretaker manager with Micky Cook for a single match in January 1999.

References