Colchester United look increasingly likely to play their home games at Portman Road should they win promotion to the Premiership. The U's currently sit in sixth place in the Championship and are in with a good chance of making the play-offs.

The Essex club have sounded out the Premier League on the possibility of using Layer Road if they go up and have been told that it doesn't meet their stadium requirements

Chief executive Marie Partner said: "It's a complicated one because I don't think a club like ours with such a small ground has been in this position.

"At the moment it's very unlikely that the Premiership would give us permission to stay at Layer Road."

This would almost certainly mean that the U's would temporarily relocate to Portman Road until their new ground at Cuckoo Farm is up and running. The Essex club's new ground is currently expected to be completed in late 2007 or early 2008.

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