We take a look at the contenders to be the next manager of Colchester United following their poor start to the season.
After keeping Colchester up in the 2023/24 campaign, manager Danny Cowley has guided Colchester to top-half finishes in League Two in each of the last two seasons.
However, things have not gone to plan so far this season and the club have won just two of their opening 13 league fixtures.
The defeat at home to Walsall on Saturday afternoon extended Colchester's winless run to nine matches and leaves the club in relegation trouble early in the campaign.
Here are our top five contenders to be the next Colchester manager in the event that there is a change in the dugout.
Next Colchester United Manager Contenders
Adam Hinshelwood
Worthing boss Adam Hinshelwood guided the club to the National League South title last season.
The club have made a fine start to life in the National League this season and the club look well-placed to sustain a play-off bid.
The 42-year-old had also helped York City to accumulate 96 points in the National League during the 2024/25 campaign, with the Minstermen narrowly missing out on promotion.
Stuart Maynard
Stuart Maynard led York City to the National League title in the 2025/26 season as the team amassed 108 points.
York surprisingly decided to part ways with Maynard prior to the new season as they opted to bring in Scott Lindsey.
Maynard’s stock remains high and he has already been linked with plenty of football league roles.
Karl Robinson
Former Salford City boss Karl Robinson was relieved of his duties by the club at the end of last season.
His final game in charge of Salford turned out to be the League Two play-off final, where they were comfortably beaten by Notts County.
Robinson boasts a wealth of experience and he has recently been linked with a move to Rotherham United.
Luke Williams
Luke Williams was sacked by Peterborough United in September after making a poor start in League One.
The 45-year-old has previously guided Notts County into the football league and he initially showed promise in charge of Championship side Swansea City.
He will feel as though he has a point to prove and it wouild be quite a coup for Colchester to attract a manager with recent experience at a higher level.
Michael Flynn
It is over 12 months since Cheltenham Town decided to part ways with Michael Flynn following a poor run of form.
Cheltenham had slipped to the bottom of the League Two table after accumulating just four points from their opening nine matches.
The former Newport County boss could well view Colchester as the ideal location to bounce back.
