Colchester United sack their manager Ben Garner after their latest defeat to Harrogate Town sees them in the League Two relegation zone.
The U’s are now in trouble, failing to pick up a single point since they beat Notts County 5-4 on the 30th of September, and have only scored 3 goals in 4 games since, conceding 12.
They are now inside the the drop and no longer have a game in hand over Forest Green Rovers, who sit 22nd in the table, on the same points.
The former Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Charlton boss’ time in charge after only seven months having took over in March after Matt Bloomfield left to take over at League One Wycombe Wanderers.
Overall in his time managing Colchester, won seven of his 28 games in charge.
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The former #Colchester head coach Ben Garner in his final interview after his side lost 2-1 to Harrogate Town, having gone a goal up.
â BBC Sport Essex (@BBCEssexSport) October 21, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
Colchester United have relieved Ben Garner of his duties as Head Coach with immediate effect.
Board members will be discussing the plans to be put in place, for both the immediate period with games on Tuesday and Saturday, and further into the future.
Colchester United would like to place on record its thanks to Ben for his time at the club.
No further comment will be made at this time.
Colchester boss Garner said, as per Gazette Live after the game: âWe had complete control of the game and went 1-0 up when it was hard to break them down and we get that brilliant goal and they hadnât had a shot on target, up until that point in the game.
âBut for the five to ten minutes after that, weâre intent on making it a basketball game.
âThey had two shots on target and both go in.
âWeâve got this horrible habit of shooting ourselves in the foot at the moment, even when weâre much the better side and in complete control of the game.
âWe shouldnât have been vulnerable after we scored.
âThey hadnât done anything up until then and hadnât had a shot on target.
âIf anything, you go 1-0 up and it makes you even more solid but the goals we conceded were poor.
âWe go to ground on the halfway line and we shouldnât and then lose the challenge.
âThen for the second goal, he (Folarin) has four touches before he gets the shot off.
âHarrogate frustrate, they sit, they slow the game, they look to break.
âWhat we ideally needed today was a nice slick playing surface but it was anything but.
âThe pitch was poor today and that made the game so much harder.
âBut we got 1-0 up and weâd done the hard work, so to then concede the two goals is really, really disappointing.
âIf you look at Harrogateâs games and the way they play, they donât have many shots or opportunities; weâve had 20 shots on goal today.
âThereâs no way we should lose that game but weâve managed to do it.â
Garner added on Chay Cooper scoring: âIt was a wonderful goal â it was great technique.
âChay did great and there were a lot of good performances out there today.â
Here’s how fans reacted as Colchester sack their manager after the latest defeat sees them in the League Two relegation zone…
@ChristianElwis: Premature this I think but I said it after last week – while the players aren’t performing well, I don’t think Garner was putting them in a position to succeed. Something clearly wrong with how we are setting up. So if there is no plan B from him, better to get rid now.
@Clachan1GK: Well we knew that was going to happen it’s harsh but the players only have themselves to blame simple as
@DanJB1983: Will be interesting to see who’s coming in but the club needs some sort of stability. Can’t keep changing the manager!
@DanielColU: Shocking. Our league position doesn’t represent our performances this season and this as a big mistake.
@jonCUFCwhiting: I did Like Garner and I liked his style of play. The players let down. I still think we need an external appointment as things aren’t going well enough to appoint within.
@ben86e02: That was inevitable. Back on the managerial merry-go-round then! đ
@KyleighHughes85: Awful decision!!! Canât wait for the internal appointment!!
@Ih5677: Bold decision that
@stmlowe: Not a good decision, heaven knows who we will get now, the players did this
@nickandrews11: đ€Šââïž Looking forward to going back to a cheap internal appointment, playing 1 upfront and hoofing the ball from the back, narrowly avoiding relegation in May. Nothing wrong with the style of football this season but the players ill discipline & lack of concentration let Garner down
@RichSwin: Joke. He’s had the boys playing levels above. What’s changed recently? The players aren’t going to change. They had the right man and reacted far too early. Shame. Young players are always going to make mistakes. They had 2x shots on target today. 100% strike rate. đȘ
@cbdn_fit: Phrase âread the roomâ springs to mind. Odd after a poor run of form to hear the fans adamant itâs the wrong decision.
@Bomberbob22: Absolute shambles this club has been since it left Layer rd in particular the last few seasons which has seen a revolving door for managers , who on earth would wanna go there
@glenister_andy: Slightly shocked but something wasnât right⊠problem is I feel we should have binned off some players rather than a manager who was trying (albeit it struggling) to change the club! #colu
@TheMarkHowarth: Very strange move.
@IanH1989: I liked Garner style of football but defensively looked terrible – perhaps Garner was being honest about the club privately and Cowling didnât like it, happen with Keen and Mcgreal. Circus continues.
@CufcJosh06: Absolutely diabolical decision
@GCC_1991: Shame itâs not a statement about the club being put up for sale. Nothings going to change
@maaxaaam: Awful awful decision. Way too early. He was one of the few reasons I was still positive about this season
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