IT'S the time of year where clubs up and down the country after announcing their retained/released lists, following the completion of the 2023-24 season.
The U's announced earlier this month that the likes of John Akinde and Tom Dallison would be moving on to pastures new, following the expiry of their existing contracts.
The Gazette looks at ten former Colchester players who are also on the lookout for new challenges this summer, after being released by their respective clubs.
HARRY PELL
FORMER Colchester United skipper Pell has been released by AFC Wimbledon, after two years at the club.
The 32-year-old made 66 league and cup appearances and scored five goals, during his two-year spell with the Dons.
Pell spent three years at Colchester between 2018 and 2021, after joining them from Cheltenham Town.
The midfielder, who made 89 league and cup appearances for the U's, helped them reach the League Two play-offs and the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, in the 2019-2020 season.
GAVIN MASSEY
MASSEY is on the hunt for a new club after being released by League Two-bound Port Vale.
The two-time Colchester United Players’ Player of the Year made nearly 100 appearances for the Valiants, having joined them from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2022.
Massey made 178 league and cup appearances for Colchester during his four-and-a-half year stint with the club, scoring 21 goals.
With his skill, versatility and positive attitude, he quickly endeared himself to Colchester fans after initially arriving at the club as a fresh-faced teenager on loan from Watford in January 2012, snapped up by John Ward.
He left to join Leyton Orient, in 2016.
COURTNEY SENIOR
FORMER Colchester United winger Senior is on the lookout for a new club after being released by National League side Barnet.
Senior made 22 appearances during his time at Barnet and spent time on loan at fellow National League side Hartlepool United, earlier this season.
The 26-year-old, who made nearly 150 appearances for the U’s between 2016 and 2021, played four times for Pools.
Senior was one of a number of players to leave Colchester in May 2021, following the expiry of his contract at the JobServe Community Stadium.
RYAN CLAMPIN
CLAMPIN is on the lookout for a new club after he was released by National League side Eastleigh following the expiry of his contract.
The 25-year-old spent a year with the Spitfires after joining them last summer following his departure from the U's and made 15 appearances for them in the National League, as they finished 13th in the table.
Clampin, who spent 16 years at Colchester, made 66 league and cup appearances for the U's, after making his senior debut for them in September, 2018.
KANE VINCENT-YOUNG
DEFENDER Vincent-Young spent a year at Wycombe Wanderers after joining them on a free transfer last summer, following his release by Ipswich Town.
The 28-year-old made 21 league and cup appearances for the League One side, in the 2023-24 campaign but has now been released.
Vincent-Young made 126 league and cup appearances for the U's after making his professional debut for them in August, 2015.
He spent four full seasons playing for Colchester's first team, before leaving to join Ipswich in the summer of 2019.
ABO EISA
WINGER Eisa is another former U’s player on the lookout for a new club, after being released by their League Two rivals Grimsby Town.
Eisa made 39 league and cup appearances for the Mariners, scoring nine times, after joining them on a free transfer, last summer.
The 28-year-old played 14 times for Colchester under John McGreal in the 2018-19 season while on loan from Shrewsbury Town, scoring twice.
RICHARD BRINDLEY
BRINDLEY, who was on the bench for Notts County’s penultimate game of the season against Colchester United last month, has been released by the Magpies.
The 31-year-old defender spent nearly five years at Meadow Lane, after joining them in September, 2019 and was part of their National League promotion-winning squad, in the 2022-23 campaign.
Brindley spent just over two years at Colchester, making 76 league and cup appearances and scoring two goals.
CRAIG EASTMOND
EASTMOND was one of a number of players to be released by Sutton United, following their relegation to the National League.
The 33-year-old, who played 68 times for Colchester between 2012 and 2015, made nearly 400 appearances for Sutton and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame, in 2022.
As captain, the three-time Sutton Player of the Year led the side to the National League title in the 2020-21 season, followed by a Wembley final and an eighth-place finish in League Two a year later.
JOHN-JOE O’TOOLE
O’TOOLE, who played 76 times for Colchester during a four-year spell at the JobServe Community Stadium between 2009 and 2013, is on the hunt for a new club after leaving Mansfield Town.
The 35-year-old had been with the Stags since October 2021 when he joined them from Burton Albion.
O'Toole has made more than 400 career league appearances for the likes of Watford, Sheffield United, Bristol Rovers and Burton Albion, during the course of his career.
BEN TOZER
Midfielder Tozer, who has been released by League One-bound Wrexham, joined Colchester in November 2013, on loan from Northampton Town.
His only U’s appearance came the following month when he started the U’s 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Notts County.
Tozer returned to his parent club soon after and went on to play for the likes of Newport County and Cheltenham Town, before in August, 2021 linking up with Phil Parkinson at Wrexham and helping them win back-to-back promotions.
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