A YEAR has now passed since Colchester United suffered play-off heartache at Exeter City, in the League Two play-off semi-finals.
The U's had gone into the second leg on June 22, 2020 with a one-goal advantage, having led 1-0 from the first leg.
However, John McGreal's side were beaten 3-1 on the night after extra-time at St James Park, to lose 3-2 on aggregate.
Much has happened at the U's since that fateful day down in Devon, with many of the players who featured that evening having now moved on to pastures new, along with boss McGreal.
Twelve months on, only four of the team that started that day for the U's - and five of the 16 Colchester players who featured - are still at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The Gazette looks at the Colchester team that featured that day and where they are now.
DEAN GERKEN
The experienced keeper was the U's first-choice keeper throughout the 2019-20 season, after returning to the club from Ipswich Town.
The 36-year-old made a further 35 appearances for Colchester, last season and will be looking to clock up more games for the club, in the coming campaign.
RYAN JACKSON
The Exeter defeat proved to be Jackson's final game, in a Colchester shirt.
The reliable right-back returned to play for the U's in the play-offs, having a few weeks earlier been informed by the club that his contract would not be renewed following the financial implications of the pandemic.
Jackson joined Gillingham soon after the Exeter defeat and made 51 league and cup appearances for the League One club, last season.
TOM EASTMAN
Long-serving Eastman was once again a stalwart for Colchester, in the 2019-20 season.
He featured a further 49 times for the U's last season and was equal with defensive partner Tommy Smith for the number of league games played for the club.
Eastman penned a new two-year deal with Colchester, earlier this summer.
LUKE PROSSER
Like his defensive partner Ryan Jackson, this proved to be Prosser's final game in a Colchester shirt after his contract was not renewed.
Prosser made more than 100 appearances during his four-year spell at the U's, many as captain.
He joined League Two club Stevenage soon after the Exeter defeat and made 34 appearances for them, last season.
COHEN BRAMALL
Bramall was a key player for Colchester in the 2019-20 season, helping them reach the play-offs.
He scored the only goal of the game in the play-off semi-final first leg against Exeter, giving his side a slender lead to take down to Devon.
Bramall played 25 times for the U's last season before leaving to join League One outfit Lincoln City, in the January transfer window.
He made 18 appearances for the Imps in the 2020-21 campaign, helping them reach the play-offs.
HARRY PELL
Pell missed a chunk of the first half of the 2019-20 season due to injury but returned before Christmas to help Colchester reach the play-offs.
The 29-year-old midfielder experienced another injury-interrupted time in the last campaign but still made 28 appearances for the U's and helped them stay in League Two.
Pell left Colchester last month and has signed for League One club, Accrington Stanley.
BEN STEVENSON
The silky midfielder was a big part of John McGreal's side in their run to the play-offs.
He made 36 appearances for the U's in that campaign and clocked up 34, in the last campaign.
Stevenson joined League Two side Forest Green Rovers, earlier this week.
LUKE GAMBIN
The Malta international experienced a stop-start spell at Colchester but was in the starting line-up for their play-off semi-final second leg at Exeter City.
He continued to find senior starts hard to come by under Steve Ball and eventually left the U's on loan for their League Two rivals Newport County in the January transfer window.
He was one of a number of players to be released by the U's, last month.
KWAME POKU
The 2019-20 season was a breakthrough campaign for the talented teenager.
After making his senior debut a few weeks into the season, he went on to make 38 appearances for the U's in that campaign.
A further 37 appearances followed for Poku last season along with international recognition in the form of a call-up to the Ghana national team.
FRANK NOUBLE
Like Prosser and Jackson, forward Nouble had been told that his contract would not be renewed by the U's in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic but played in both legs of the play-off semi-final.
Nouble joined League One outfit Plymouth Argyle following his exit from the U's, last summer.
However, he returned to Colchester in the January transfer window and played his part in keeping them in League Two.
He signed permanently for the U's again last week, penning a two-year deal at the JobServe Community Stadium.
LUKE NORRIS
Striker Norris spent two and a half years at Colchester.
He made 42 appearances for the U's in the 2019-20 season, scoring 11 times to help them reach the play-offs.
Norris made 18 appearances for Colchester in the first part of last season before leaving them to join their League Two rivals Stevenage, in the January transfer window.
The striker scored seven goals for his home town club, in the second half of last season.
Used substitutes: Lapslie, Senior, Cowan-Hall, Welch-Hayes, Robinson. Not used: Clampin, Sowunmi, Chilvers, Ross.
MANAGER - JOHN MCGREAL
The play-off semi-final second leg defeat proved to be McGreal's final game in charge of Colchester.
After four years as the U's head coach, he parted company with the club a few weeks after their heartbreaking loss at Exeter.
McGreal took over as manager of League Two club Swindon Town, last month.
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