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 Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

Mick Wadsworth. Former player,

caretaker manager In association footballing terms, a caretaker manager or interim manager is somebody who takes temporary charge of the management of a football team, usually when the regular Manager (association football), manager is dismissed or leaves for a ...

and assistant manager

Steve Whitton Stephen Paul Whitton (born 4 December 1960) is an English former footballer who played as a striker. He was born in East Ham, London. Career In a playing career spanning 20 years (1978–1998), Whitton made more than 450 league appearances. He ...

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 Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...

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 Joseph John Dunne (born 25 May 1973) is an Irish Manager (association football), football manager and former association football, footballer who is currently assistant manager of Newport County A.F.C., Newport County. Dunne played as a defen ...

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 Agent may refer to: Espionage, investigation, and law *, spies or intelligence officers * Law of agency, laws involving a person authorized to act on behalf of another ** Agent of record, a person with a contractual agreement with an insuranc ...

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 Steven Leslie Wignall (born 17 September 1954) is an English former professional football manager and player. During his playing career, Wignall, who played as a central defender, made over 600 appearances in the Football League. Career Playing ...

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.

was appointed Wadsworth's replacement after serving as

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

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.

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

Transfers

In

* Total spending: ~ £0

Out

* Total incoming: ~ £30,000

Loans in

Loans out

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

Disciplinary record

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a

clean sheet In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.

References

General

Books * Websites *

Specific

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colchester United F.C. Season 1999-2000 1999-2000 1999–2000 Football League Second Division by team