The 1999–2000 season was Colchester United's 58th season in their history and their second successive season in the third tier of English football, the Second Division. Alongside competing in the Second Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
Following of a rocky first season back in the third tier, Colchester had an equally unharmonious beginning to the 1999–2000 season, with managing director Steve Gage resigning, shortly followed by manager Mick Wadsworth. Former player, caretaker manager and assistant manager Steve Whitton was appointed Wadsworth's replacement. It was a season of much change but little progress, as the U's stuttered to another 18th-placed finish, despite a strong start to the new Millennium.
Colchester suffered first round exits once more in all three cup competitions after Crystal Palace beat the U's 5–3 over two legs in the League Cup, and Swansea City dumped them out of the FA Cup and Football League Trophy.
Season overview Mick Wadsworth made swingeing cuts to the playing staff in the close season as nine first-team regulars were allowed to leave, including fan favourites Joe Dunne and Tony Adcock, who fell just four goals short of Martyn King's club record of 131 career league goals.
Despite the numerous changes, all was not well behind the scenes at Colchester United. Managing director Steven Gage resigned on the eve of the new season, and within two weeks of the season starting, Wadsworth had also resigned to join Crystal Palace. Wadsworth had brought in a number of highly paid players, most of whom were linked to controversial football agent Barry Silkman. When Brian Launders was sacked by the club for gross misconduct, Silkman took Colchester United to court, exposing the influence agents had on the game and confirming Steve Wignall statements regarding agents following his resignation the season prior. As a result, U's chairman Peter Heard invoked a policy of no longer dealing with agents.
Steve Whitton was appointed Wadsworth's replacement after serving as caretaker manager and having been Wadsworth's assistant. By October, the Colchester were bottom of the league following a dismal run of one win in eleven games, including a 5–2 defeat by Cambridge United. Whitton reinstated ostracised players such as Tony Lock and Richard Wilkins and re-signed Joe Dunne and Steve McGavin. He led the U's to safety with an 18th position finish, as Steve McGavin registered 16 goals for himself, while Lomana LuaLua emerged as a future star with 14 goals to his name.
In the cup competitions, Colchester exited all three at the first round stage. Swansea City defeated the U's in the FA Cup and Football League Trophy, while Wadsworth's then-future club Crystal Palace saw off Colchester 5–3 on aggregate in the League Cup.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Simon BrownGKChelmsford00 Tottenham Hotspur20 July 1999Free transfer26Glenn WilliamsonGKEnfield Town00Youth team1 August 1999Free transfer Defenders3Joe KeithFBPlaistow00 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer5David GreeneCB Luton16417 Luton Town21 June 1996£30,0006Joe DunneFBDublin1194 Dover Athletic7 December 1999Nominal21Craig FarleyCBOxford00 Watford6 May 1999Free transfer24Ross JohnsonCBBrighton60 Brighton & Hove Albion14 February 2000Free transfer28Sean HillierDFClacton-on-Sea00Youth team1 August 1998Free transfer31Jack WignallCBColchester00Youth team1 August 1999Free transfer32Andy TaylorFBOldham00Youth teamSummer 1999Free transfer Midfielders4Gavin JohnsonMFEye00 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer7Karl DuguidMFLetchworth10511Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer8David GregoryMFSudbury16025 Peterborough United8 December 1995Free transfer11Jason DozzellMFIpswich314 Northampton Town15 October 1998Non-contract18Chris KeebleMFColchester00 Ipswich Town23 March 2000Free transfer20Thomas PinaultMFGrasse00 AS Cannes1 July 1999Free transfer23Aaron SkeltonMF/DFWelwyn Garden City577 Luton Town3 July 1997Free transfer27Sam OkaforMFXtiam10Youth team1 August 1998Free transfer29Andy ArnottMFChatham40 Brighton & Hove Albion1 November 1999Part exchangeAdrian WebsterMFHastings00 Charlton Athletic24 May 1999Free transfer Forwards9Jamie MoraleeFWWandsworth00 Brighton & Hove Albion11 May 1999Free transfer15Lomana LuaLuaFW Kinshasa131Leyton Sixth Form College1 September 1998Non-contract19Tony LockFWHarlow769Apprentice28 January 1995Free transfer25KK OparaFWOwerri10Youth team1 September 1998Free transfer30Steve McGavinFWNorth Walsham13147 Northampton Town1 October 1999Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1999FBAndy TaylorYouth teamFree transfer6 May 1999CBCraig Farley WatfordFree transfer11 May 1999FWJamie Moralee Brighton & Hove AlbionFree transfer24 May 1999FBJoe Keith West Ham UnitedFree transfer24 May 1999MFAdrian Webster Charlton AthleticFree transfer25 May 1999MFBrian Launders Derby CountyUndisclosed28 May 1999CBSagi Burton Crystal PalaceNominal1 July 1999FWSteve Germain AS CannesUndisclosed1 July 1999MFThomas Pinault AS CannesFree transfer20 July 1999GKSimon Brown Tottenham HotspurFree transfer1 August 1999CBJack WignallYouth teamFree transfer1 August 1999GKGlenn WilliamsonYouth teamFree transfer1 October 1999FWSteve McGavin Northampton TownFree transfer1 November 1999MFAndy Arnott Brighton & Hove AlbionPart exchange with Warren Aspinall14 November 1999MFGavin Johnson Dunfermline AthleticFree transfer7 December 1999FBJoe Dunne Dover AthleticNominalJanuary 2000CBDavid Lee Crystal PalaceNon-contract14 February 2000CBRoss Johnson Brighton & Hove AlbionFree transfer23 March 2000MFChris Keeble Ipswich TownFree transfer Total spending: ~ £0
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonMFGeraint WilliamsFree agentRetired4 May 1999FWTony Adcock Heybridge SwiftsFree transfer4 May 1999FBSimon Betts ScarboroughReleased4 May 1999GKTamer Fernandes Hemel Hempstead TownReleased4 May 1999DF/MFNicky Haydon Kettering TownReleased4 May 1999MFDave Rainford Slough TownReleased4 May 1999FBScott Stamps Kidderminster HarriersReleased31 May 1999CBStéphane PounewatchyFree agentFree transfer22 June 1999GKCarl Emberson WalsallFree transfer14 July 1999FWMark Sale Rushden & Diamonds£30,00028 July 1999MFPaul Buckle Exeter CityReleased1 August 1999FW/WGPaul Abrahams Kettering TownFree transfer4 August 1999FBJoe Dunne Dover AthleticReleased15 October 1999MFBrian Launders Crystal PalaceSacked6 November 1999MFWarren Aspinall Brighton & Hove AlbionPart exchange with Andy Arnott19 November 1999CBSagi Burton Sheffield UnitedFree transfer15 December 1999FWSteve Germain AS Auch GascogneReleasedFebruary 2000CBDavid Lee Exeter CityFree transfer5 February 2000FWNeil Gregory Canvey IslandFree transfer5 February 2000GKAndy Walker St Albans CityUndisclosed14 March 2000MFSteve Forbes Stevenage BoroughReleased20 March 2000FBFabrice Richard Red Star 93Released31 March 2000MF/DFRichard WilkinsFree agentRetired Total incoming: ~ £30,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.23 September 1999MFAndy Arnott Brighton & Hove Albion20 October 199911 November 1999CBAlan White Luton Town26 November 199914 November 1999GKJohn Vaughan Lincoln City31 December 199930 December 1999CBTitus Bramble Ipswich Town30 January 200012 January 2000CBRoss Johnson Brighton & Hove Albion12 February 200023 March 2000CBBarry Ferguson Coventry City8 May 200023 March 2000CBEfe Sodje Luton Town8 May 2000
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.23 June 1999FWNeil Gregory Boston Bulldogs1 October 19991 September 1999FWTony Lock Kettering Town24 September 199923 September 1999MFWarren Aspinall Brighton & Hove Albion5 November 19991 December 1999FWNeil Gregory Canvey Island1 February 2000
Match details
Second Division
Results round by round
League table
Matches
Football League Cup
FA Cup
Football League Trophy
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total130FWSteve McGavin1600016215FWLomana LuaLua121101437MFKarl Duguid1200012411MFJason Dozzell50106523MF/DFAaron Skelton4000463FBJoe Keith101028MFWarren Aspinall200029FWJamie Moralee1001217MF/DFRichard Wilkins2000219FWTony Lock20002115CBDavid Greene1000118MFChris Keeble10001Own goals00000TOTALS5913164
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total7MFKarl Duguid70101000904CBSagi Burton41001000515CBDavid Greene700000007011MFJason Dozzell500000005034CBAlan White11000010214MFGavin Johnson40000000401GKSimon Brown00000100016FBJoe Dunne30000000308MFWarren Aspinall30000000308MFDavid Gregory30000000303FBJoe Keith200000002010CBTitus Bramble200000002010MFBrian Launders100010002015FWLomana LuaLua100000102017MF/DFRichard Wilkins200000002019FWTony Lock200000002030FWSteve McGavin20000000202FBFabrice Richard10000000109FWJamie Moralee100000001012CBBarry Ferguson100000001021CBCraig Farley100000001024CBRoss Johnson100000001029MFAndy Arnott1000000010TOTALS552103120613
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total11Simon Brown60006233John Vaughan10001TOTALS70007
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes1GKSimon Brown7 August 1999ChesterfieldSaltergate3FBJoe Keith7 August 1999ChesterfieldSaltergate4CBSagi Burton7 August 1999ChesterfieldSaltergate10MFBrian Launders7 August 1999ChesterfieldSaltergate12FWSteve Germain7 August 1999ChesterfieldSaltergate20MFThomas Pinault14 August 1999Notts CountyLayer Road9FWJamie Moralee24 August 1999Crystal PalaceSelhurst Park21CBCraig Farley11 September 1999Scunthorpe UnitedLayer Road29MFAndy Arnott25 September 1999MillwallThe Den30FWSteve McGavin15 October 1999Cambridge UnitedAbbey Stadium4MFGavin Johnson14 November 1999Oldham AthleticBoundary Park33GKJohn Vaughan14 November 1999Oldham AthleticBoundary Park34CBAlan White27 November 1999Stoke CityBritannia Stadium31CBJack Wignall7 December 1999Swansea CityVetch Field6FBJoe Dunne17 December 1999Luton TownLayer Road29MFAndy Arnott26 December 1999GillinghamPriestfield Stadium10CBTitus Bramble3 January 2000BlackpoolBloomfield Road24CBRoss Johnson15 January 2000Notts CountyMeadow Lane24CBRoss Johnson19 February 2000Stoke CityLayer Road10CBEfe Sodje25 March 2000GillinghamLayer Road12CBBarry Ferguson8 April 2000BlackpoolLayer Road18MFChris Keeble15 April 2000Wycombe WanderersAdams Park
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific