DOUG FENNER
@ archiebunkeruk
Last season was bloody awful, with a minor upgrade to ‘ moderately improved’ by the end. The big talking point is whether the coming season will be bloody awful again or if that moderate improvement will continue. This season will be different because
I ask really nicely whenever I say my prayers? Winning five of our last eight matches of 2021- 22 offers some hope that we might avoid a relegation fight this time and win a few home games. Conversely, with most of last season’s squad still contracted, improvement has to come through better tactics and motivation. There isn’t much scope for additions unless we lose a couple first, and Brendan Wiredu has already left to join Fleetwood.
I won’t be happy unless I don’t have to work out how many points the clubs below us can get. The thing my club really gets right is free tickets for under- 11s. The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that Wayne Brown [ above] is a club legend who pulled us away from the bottom two, so he has some credit going into the new season. The hope is that if we can make a reasonable start, and play without the pressure of battling the drop, he can get the team expressing themselves a bit more than they managed before he arrived.
Fans think our owner is much too generous with dishing out roles for former managers.
Look out for Gene Kennedy [ below], a 19- year- old midfielder who made nine appearances for Colchester last season – and more this campaign, I hope. Freddie Sears scoring another 17 goals in all competitions wouldn’t go amiss, either. The active player I’d love to have back is Sammie Szmodics, driving through from midfield like it’s 2013- 19.
I’m least looking forward to playing Barrow. It’s far too far away. Fans think our ground is soulless.
The one change I’d make would be to establish some form of supporter representation. So many of the little things that are wrong could easily be improved with input from the fans.
We’ll finish lower mid- table. Please.
FFT VERDICT
22nd
Wiredu has departed while other key players are linked away, so if 2021- 22’ s go- to veterans such as Sears and Cole Skuse were to drop off, pressure could grow unduly on talented youngsters such as Noah Chilvers and Junior Tchamadeu. Brown needs to make a fast start.