Colchester United legend Kem Izzet praises atmosphere

The Colchester promotion winner, who made more than 400 appearances for the club between 2001 and 2013, is one of a number of ex-U’s favourites depicted on banners at the stadium this season, with the Blue White Army (BWA) supporters group taking the matchday atmosphere up a notch.

Izzet has been back at the stadium to watch a number of Colchester’s home games this season and the former midfielder says it is nice to see the club recognise their past success.

READ MORE: Lyle Taylor - Colchester United supporters deserve a lot success

He said: “It’s a really good idea – before the game, all the flags get flown and it looks really good.

“It sets up the atmosphere and it looks really smart.

“I think it’s been a long time coming that the club has recognised the past and it’s nice that it’s actually happening now.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are other players that can be recognised as well but it makes me really proud and puts a smile on my face when I see it.

“The fans are obviously super important but it’s more important that the club are doing it as well now because for too long, all of the success we and all the other boys had was almost forgotten about, for whatever reason.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“Whether it’s the chairman or the new managers that have decided to do it, whoever’s done it I think it’s a really good idea because it brings the whole club together rather than a ‘them and us’ kind of culture, so it’s really good to see.

“My daughter Isabella has got into watching football quite a bit and we’ve been over to Colchester around three or four times, this season.

“My daughter’s never seen me play and she’s like ‘oh, they’ve got a big flag of you’!

“I think she then starts to understand that I did have a bit of a career beforehand!”

Izzet believes the Cowleys’ tactics can help his old club Colchester move up the League Two table.

READ MORE: Fan's view - Cowleys' infectious positivity is catching at U's

The former midfielder has enjoyed seeing the U’s mix it up in games and is confident they can make strides, providing they can discover some consistency.

“I think there’s been a total shift in atmosphere and I think that comes down to the two managers, in the sense that they’re fully engaged and totally at one with the club,” said U’s Hall of Famer Izzet, who helped Colchester secure promotion to the Championship under Phil Parkinson, in 2006.

“I think from that side of it, it’s super positive.

“The performances have been a little indifferent at times but I definitely think they’re getting better and it’s not a ‘play football at all costs’ mentality which I saw us doing the last two years, where we’re getting caught and we wonder why we’re conceding so many goals and not scoring as many goals.

“What I’ve seen is they’re mixing it up a lot better, the Cowley brothers and I knew they would, because I know the kind of style that they’ve played in previous times.

(Image: JACQUES FEENEY)

“Now they’re mixing it up, I think it really bodes well for the football club.

“They’ve got a lot of experience within the team as well as some youth as well, so the blend is right now.

“Now it’s just trying to find some consistency.

“It’s a new squad again and the minute they find that consistency, I think they’ll go on a really good run and just fly up the league.”

Izzet is hoping to see Colchester put in a strong performance for 90 minutes when they host Cheltenham Town, on Saturday.

READ MORE: Colchester United to visit Swindon Town in FA Cup first round

He continued: “There’s been better performances than others; the Carlisle first half I watched, we were terrible.

“I thought we got out played and we looked sluggish and off it but in the second half, I thought we were really good.

“When they’re at it, they look really dangerous and really, really good.

“But they’ve got to try to find some consistency so that when they’re not at it, they’re not as bad.

“The three midfielders – Teddy Bishop, Alex Woodyard and Jack Payne were outstanding in the game I watched against Tranmere; they were really, really good.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“When Lyle Taylor is at it up front, he makes a big difference.

“Samson Tovide has got a bit of a target on his back at the moment in the sense that teams are trying to upset him and wind him up.

“He needs to learn how to let that go – they’re doing it for a reason and that’s because he’s dangerous.

“He needs to start to understand that and try and just laugh it off because he lets it unsettle him and his game goes and he can be really dangerous for Colchester.

“But he’s got Taylor up front with him with a lot of experience, so hopefully he can learn lots off him but they’re looking really dangerous.”

Izzet’s former Colchester team-mate Ashley Vincent is a member of the Cheltenham coaching team and is set to return to North Essex, this weekend.

“If there was ever a player that I would not have had down as a coach, it probably would have been Ash,” added former U's club captain Izzet, who is currently working as an operations manager at an events company.

“He was so laid back and football didn’t consume his life – he never came across as that kind of person.

“He had a lot of injuries and probably missed out on quite a lot of football, so maybe that’s how he’s making up for it but good luck to him.

“He was a decent player when he was fit – he was super fast and direct but unfortunately, picked up so many injuries and probably didn’t play as many games as he’d have liked to.”