The 2025/26 season has produced a range of results for Colchester United, who began the League Two campaign with high hopes of promotion after finishing just outside the playoffs in 2024/25.
As the season draws to a close, who were the standout players – and what were the season-defining moments?
Jack Tucker arrived at Colchester United in January 2025 from Milton Keynes Dons. After settling in quickly with the U’s and making regular appearances, Tucker became a mainstay in the squad at central defence for the 25/26 season.
He built a strong reputation for himself in League Two during the season, becoming a fan favourite at Colchester due to his calmness and prowess at centre-half. He has also ranked highly for clearances and aerial duels, as well as being skilled at both short and long passing.
Tucker has played every single minute for Colchester in League Two this campaign, captaining the side to eleven clean sheets.
He has also made contributions at the top of the pitch, scoring goals against Oldham FC and Barnet FC.
Honourable mentions: Arthur Read, Jack Payne, Kyreece Lisbie, Micah Mbick.
The best performance of the season came from attacking midfielder Jack Payne in Colchester’s 6-2 dismantling of Chesterfield.
Payne had secured a hat-trick for the U’s before the half-time whistle had blown, alongside completing 83% of his passes and having 50 touches of the ball by full-time.
His confidence on the ball and success on the pitch earned him a 9.1 rating for the game, making him the player of the match.
This was not Payne’s only hat-trick of the season, as he also scored one later in the season at home to Barnet.
Honourable mentions: Harry Anderson (Harrogate Town), Jack Payne (Barnet FC), Micah Mbick (Newport County).
Colchester United arrived at the Memorial Stadium aiming to extend an unbeaten run of five games and defeat a Bristol Rovers side that had only one win in their last fourteen.
A cagey affair played out between the sides, and the difference was made by Owura Edwards’ winning goal in the 85th minute.
The 25-year-old collected the ball on the left wing from Frankie Terry and beat two defenders, cutting in towards the box and releasing a long-range effort from around 24 yards out.
The arching strike flew over the stranded Luke Southwood and into the far top corner, sealing an important away win for the U’s and sending the away fans into wild celebration.
Honourable mentions: Micah Mbick (MK Dons, Cheltenham Town), Kyreece Lisbie (Tranmere Rovers).
Colchester’s match of the season came at Meadow Lane in November, with the U’s on a decent run of form, having won three of their last five in League Two. They had, however, recently been dumped out of the FA Cup by MK Dons.
Notts County were on an unbeaten run of six games at the time, and were favourites to win the game.
The rainy fixture started as initially predicted, with County opening the scoring after seven minutes thanks to an own goal from U’s defender Kane Vincent-Young.
The U’s responded quickly when Harry Anderson latched onto a scuffed clearance from goalkeeper Kelle Roos and lobbed the ball into the empty County net from 25 yards out.
Colchester mounted further pressure on the Magpies and took the lead through a neat finish from Charlton loanee Micah Mbick, giving the U’s a valuable lead.
The win was sealed with almost the last kick of the game when Will Goodwin slotted home from a low cross past Roos, wheeling away to celebrate in front of over 500 Colchester fans and rounding off a strong display from a plucky U’s side.
Honourable mentions: Colchester 6-2 Chesterfield, Colchester 4-1 Barnet, Grimsby 1-2 Colchester
