Colchester United appoint former Lincoln, Huddersfield, Portsmouth, Concord, Braintree boss Danny Cowley as new head coach.
Danny comes into the U’s along with his brother Nicky, with the club currently sitting 22nd in the League Two table with 23 points from 26 games played, and after 5 points above the drop zone, with 23rd place having a game in hand over Colchester, while Forest Green sit 24th with two games in hand.
He replaces Matthew Etherington, who was sacked on New Year’s Day, with the 1-0 defeat becoming their eighth loss in nine matches.
βοΈ πππππππππππ πππ πππ ππππππππππ ππππ: πππ ππππππ ππππππππ.
We welcome Danny and Nicky, with the pair taking charge immediately. #ColU | #WeAreUnited
β Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) January 4, 2024
CLUB STATEMENT:
Colchester United are delighted to welcome Danny Cowley as new Head Coach.
The U’s have worked quickly to secure their number one target, with Danny taking charge immediately alongside his brother Nicky.
It is a return to Essex for the duo, who started their management careers together at Concord Rangers.
Three promotions with Rangers saw them move to Braintree Town, and subsequently Lincoln City.
They then took Lincoln from the National League into League One, and also led them on a fantasticΒ FA Cup run whilst still in non-league.
The Imps beat Championship sides Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion and Premier League Burnley in an FA Cup run that ended with defeat against Arsenal in the Quarter-Finals.
Moves to Huddersfield and Portsmouth followed, and the Cowleys now return to football management at the U’s.
They oversaw training for the first time on Thursday afternoon, and will take charge of their first match at the weekend, with the U’s travelling to Swindon Town.
Danny: Firstly it’s a privilege to be here we feel very fortunate obviously where Nicky and our local boys kind of grew up in the area and uh know how much the football club means to Colchester and also to the community so yeah feel feel very privileged to be here
Interviewer: Did that really help the locality you know you’ve been around the country for the last few years did it help that this next job was in a place that you knew pretty well
Dany: Yeah well we know Essex well we’ve been fortunate enough to have some success in in Essex in the past and really I think having spoken to Robbie it was really evident quite quite early on for his affinity with the club his love for the club and how much the club meant to him and I think for Nicky and I, we’ve been we’ve been lucky enough to to to manage a number of clubs over over the last 15 years and you know I think we were looking for that kind of alignment to try to find the right people and and I just look at the opportunity here you know I just look at a football club that that has so much going for it I see a club that has a brilliant infrastructure that has really really good people and I think for Nicky and I that was something that we were really looking for looking for in our next role and the challenge I think for everybody is to now to get the final bit and that’s to get it right on on on the pitch
Interviewer: You would have obviously heard the news on New Year’s Day about Matty Etherington’s departure you know and then obviously it’s been a whirlwind since since then I mean when did you receive a call or and how did it come about that you here
Danny: Yeah it happened really quickly literally in the last 24 hours I think Colchester’s a football club that that Nicky and I obviously know really well and it’s always one that we’ve hoped that we’ we’d have the opportunity to manage at some point you know you’d never like to see another fellow fellow manager lose their job of course but but this has obviously created an opportunity and yeah like I said speaking to Robbie it was really clear really early on his his love for the club and I think for for for us it’s to try to find really good people and sometimes that’s hard to find in football but definitely we wanted to try to find find find good people that that that have the club’s best interests at heart and that we feel that we can have kind of a natural sort of chemistry and and relationship with and I don’t know like I said I just think this football club is doing so many good things when I look at it and know and obviously I know Demitri well and I look at the Academy and I just think that you have a really good infrastructure I think you have some really good people I think you have a have have some brilliant facilities and everything is set up for success and now I think the last little bit is to try to get it right at at the top end of the club with with with the first team and obviously that is that is mine and Nicky’s role and our ambition and it it certainly won’t be a two man job it will need everybody it’ll need the players it’ll need the staff and and it’ll certainly need the supporters but I know this that if we can all come together and everybody has the club’s very best interests at heart when you get like-minded people in in the same room that can be really really powerful and I genuinely believe that that you know we have some challenges in in the short term but when we overcome them I think that the future is really bright
This is how fans reacted as Colchester appoint the former Lincoln, Huddersfield, Portsmouth, Concord, Braintree boss as their new head coach…
@Pompey_Goals: All the best lads. Great guys hope they do well for you.
@sjm_mcmxc: Really happy for them both that they get to go home, albeit a shade surprised Colchester have been the ones to eventually snare them, especially in their current position. All the very best to them both.
@DanielColU: Speechless π² Let’s hope this matches expectations and brings an end to the ever-failing philosophy
@JIPC76: What. An. Appointment π
@Goodo1977: Probably be Champions this time next Year! What a couple of Gents! UTI!
@george_bass_uk: They will do wonders for not just your team, but your community too. An absolutely cracking appointment for you guys. From a Lincoln fan.
@glenister_andy: This is some appointment! Absolutly buzzing⦠hard to say but Thank You Robbie! This could be the start of the club coming back to the way it should be! Hopefully the players get a kick up the arse and we kick up the league! Transfers should be interesting as well! #colu
@PaulCarrott3: Jealous Imp here. Youβre in for one hell of a ride. Good luck Danny and Nicky.
@PropPersonnel: Great move for both club and the Cowleys
@coludan: ππ₯³ honestly donβt know what to write, so unbelievably happy with this. Perfect on and off the field, what a day for the club and fans ππ€ well done to Robbie and all involved #CowleysBlueAndWhiteArmy
@no1_gouldy: Hats off Mr cowling and the board Great appointment for the club hopefully they will get full backing fingers crossed they can turn things around π
@ProudieYT: Still got a lot of time for them even if it didn’t work out at Pompey, very solid appointment and will do very well at Colchester. Good luck to them both π
@OfficialLuke87: FINALLY, thats the first step done, Robbie Cowling better not let him down, let them do their thing and theyβll breathe some life into this club.
@_bradmorris_: omg cowling i love you so
@Robbeezley: For god sake lads look after them π honestly theyβre great people and so glad to see them return to their Essex roots
@OliBoylan1989: They donβt get much better than that! Brilliant appointment for both club and the Cowley brothers. Really, really pleased with this one. Fantastic work Robbie!
@CallumDowst: hope they do well. Will check up on your results now.
@ValleyFloydFred: That is a great appointment for you guys.
@Adam12370765: Fucking hell, what an appointment
@HancockAnalysis: All the best Danny and Nick
@jladbrook6: Finally π good news. Only taken 14 years! Every one get to Swindon Saturday , show the players and Cowleys we are right behind them
@Dlnorton150879: Absolutely brilliant managerial appointment π We could never get one over on ColU when they were in charge of us at Lincoln….. I can just see what’s coming one day π€£
@conaltuttiett: Best of luck Danny and Nicky π
@nigel_lawrence1: Perfect appointment for you, they really connected with our fanbase at Pompey, but it just didnβt quite work out for a number of reasons. Good luck for the season ππΌ
@emmacrellin1: All the best Danny and Nicky, hope the move is a good one for you both
@jackyt1993: This is the exact appointment the whole club needed! This will hopefully galvanise the whole community and start getting attendances up! Fair play to Robbie for this, taken a lot of stick lately but you canβt argue with his ambition here! Credit where itβs due! Up the Uβs!
@olliejoell1606: Play up Pompey, these guys really are the most down to earth managers youβll ever meet. I wish them all the success, from the boys here at Pompey
@MrsFoxtrotwhisk: Absolutely no-one saw that coming, excellent appointment #colu
@stmlowe: What a beautiful day ππ€
@ThorndykeGary: Good luck to both of you. Colchester have got a great pair.
@Miller23Simon: Fantastic appointment But their going to need funds . Let’s hope they are going to be looked after at the club. π€
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