Williams aims for Championship return

Carl Marston

“Promotion.”

That's the buzz-word that Colchester United boss Geraint Williams wants to hear over the coming months.

The U's boss was already looking towards life in League One next season, following another goal glut in the Championship - the U's 92nd and last fixture in this division, at least for a year, following a two-year stay at this level.

“Promotion is the word for us now! League One will be looking to beat us up, but we'll be ready for it,” insisted Williams.

“Swansea and Nottingham Forest have both been promoted, which shows that good footballing sides can get out of League One. We will be taking that on board.

“Our fans have been magnificent all season. The vast majority of them, while feeling disappointed, will understand the massive challenges we have faced, every day of every week in the Championship.

“We have been competitive in all except four of the 46 games. After last season, we had taken six players taken away by clubs with greater resources, and we had to bring in 10 and try and make them gel.

“We've scored 62 goals this season, and it's the second best finish (44th in the Football League ladder) in the club's history,” added Williams. The U's were 10th in the Championship and so 30th in the League ladder last year.

Meanwhile, Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins said: “There was plenty of entertainment and it could have been eight-all!

“We've ended the season with 46 points, which is a fantastic points tally for us to get. It's been an unbelievable achievement by this football club.

“It's been a long, draining season, and it's been like trying to plot the progress of Apollo 13 back from the moon, trying to get as many points as we can in the Championship.”