Colchester United have released seven former Town players, among them ex-skipper Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith and long-serving U’s man Tom Eastman.

Cole Skuse had already made his departure known with the midfielder having been appointed Bury Town’s new manager, while Alan Judge, who is currently sidelined having suffered a triple rupture in his left knee in December, Freddie Sears and Emyr Huws will also be leaving the League Two club.

Chambers, Skuse, Huws, Sears and Judge joined the U’s following their release by Town in the summer of 2021, while Smith signed in August 2020. Eastman had been with the North Essex side since May 2011, aside from a spell on loan at Harrogate in the second half of this season.

“I’d like to thank all the players that will be leaving us for their hard work and professionalism in their time here at Colchester United,” Colchester sporting director Dmitri Halajko told his club’s official website.

“We wish all these players the best of luck in the next part of their football journeys.

“Special mentions should go to Tom Eastman. Tom has been a magnificent servant to the club over the past 12 years and is firmly in the top ten of the club’s all-time highest appearance makers.

“The term ‘club legend’ is sometimes overused in football but I certainly see Tom in that light for the service he has given to the club.

“Tommy Smith and Luke Chambers have been captains for the club on and off the pitch and the leadership they have given the team during their time at the club deserves recognition alone with their footballing performances.

“Freddie Sears has also made a big contribution with Colchester United over the years scoring over 50 times for the club which is a great return.

“Although Cole and Luke have only been with us two years, they have shown a fantastic level of performance and professionalism on and off the pitch.

“We wish Cole the best of luck as he takes on his first managerial role at Bury Town after a long and illustrious playing career.

“Alan Judge is very unfortunate as his bad injury has kept him out of the second half of the season. However, he is working very hard with our medical team to get back playing.

“We will still be seeing plenty of him at the club while we help him back to full fitness.

“I’m sure every supporter of Colchester United will wish all the players leaving us the very best of luck and success in their future football careers.”

Photo: Matchday Images

wkj added 16:53 - May 12 I hope these players can enjoy their retirement. It does seem that Colchester United were unable to get the last drops of magic out of them, so it makes sense they are going for a rebuild.
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OwainG1992 added 16:56 - May 12 Some good players for us in the past in the list. Well..OK players. Judges injury sounds nasty.
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Vancouver_Blue added 17:08 - May 12 I'd like to see Chambo at PR in some form, even to coach Harry Clarke on doing the fist pump!
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joyousblue added 17:10 - May 12 Shame about huws he was deemed a quality player guess injuries took there toll
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RobsonWark added 17:26 - May 12 No surprise there. Those were the guys that took us down to Division 1. I'm only surprised that they didn't take Colchester down to non-league. I guess there must be some really bad teams in Division 2.
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Saxonblue74 added 17:39 - May 12 Exactly the comment I was expecting from Robsonwark the second I saw this headline. Still, managed to keep Jackson out of your post I guess!
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Saxonblue74 added 17:40 - May 12 All did their best for us through a bad period of history for our club. Good luck to Cole in his new role, and to the others with whatever the future holds for them
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Billericay12 added 17:42 - May 12 When you look at how poor Colchester have Been in the last couple of seasons despite having several ex Ipswich players who performed at higher levels it completely justifies the mass clear out that the Demolition man promised. They couldn't even bring success to a League 2 club never mind Lesgue one or the Championship. It just proves how far we fell with Marcus Evans at the helm. Onwards and upwards now though. What a fantastic, exciting and enjoyable season we have just witnessed.

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MickMillsTash added 17:57 - May 12 I saw Smith and Eastman play and they looked more than comfortable at that level- standing in the right place and heading the ball, I think they will get new contracts somewhere if they want to play on. I have no idea whether Chambers face fits the new regime at ITFC but would not object to him being around on match day telling tales of Terrys finishing lessons, doing some radio etc Sears has been a lucky boy to earn money from football for the last 6 years, Looks like Skuse has really settled in the region given I thought he was MR Bristol when he signed.

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MickMillsTash added 17:57 - May 12 I saw Smith and Eastman play and they looked more than comfortable at that level- standing in the right place and heading the ball, I think they will get new contracts somewhere if they want to play on. I have no idea whether Chambers face fits the new regime at ITFC but would not object to him being around on match day telling tales of Terrys finishing lessons, doing some radio etc Sears has been a lucky boy to earn money from football for the last 6 years, Looks like Skuse has really settled in the region given I thought he was MR Bristol when he signed.

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MickMillsTash added 17:57 - May 12 I saw Smith and Eastman play and they looked more than comfortable at that level- standing in the right place and heading the ball, I think they will get new contracts somewhere if they want to play on. I have no idea whether Chambers face fits the new regime at ITFC but would not object to him being around on match day telling tales of Terrys finishing lessons, doing some radio etc Sears has been a lucky boy to earn money from football for the last 6 years, Looks like Skuse has really settled in the region given I thought he was MR Bristol when he signed.

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Nomore4 added 17:59 - May 12 The club in desperation summer 2020 asked the cosy club led by Chambo if the players would consider a wage deferral. As the club owner at the time was seeing his other business interests go into financial 1st lockdown meltdown. And the football club facing a possible tens of millions business loss. The answer was a “not on your Nelly” kind of response. We want our money…..stuff the football club.

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Monkey_Blue added 18:11 - May 12 All the best to all of them. I wouldn't be surprised to see chambo pop up in a coaching role somewhere very soon, perhaps at Bury? I'll ignore the snarky comments about some of them further up the thread.
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SouperJim added 18:14 - May 12 Fully expect tomorrow's headline to be "Bury Town Sign Seven Former Blues"
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churchmans added 18:30 - May 12 Have a word with yourselves!! Average players! Cole & skuse utter dog no coincidence we went down with them!
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churchmans added 18:30 - May 12 Have a word with yourselves!! Average players! Cole & skuse utter dog no coincidence we went down with them!
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Sixto6 added 19:05 - May 12 Best of luck to them all but captain calamity just reminds me of the dark times. Onwards and upwards, don't look back ! COYB
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FrankMarshall added 19:07 - May 12 SouperJim: Not impossible at all! Tom Eastman in particular would be a good signing for them, still only 31 and would bring some much needed experience to the defence.
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FrankMarshall added 19:09 - May 12 Didn't realise Huws was only 29 also
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Marcus added 19:35 - May 12 @SouperJim Fully expect tomorrow's headline to be "Bury Town Sign Six Former Blues" ;)
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Cadiar added 20:09 - May 12 For me the majority epitomise some of the darkest days inn Ipswich's history. I remember the opening day of a season a few years back v Sunderland which we were winning 1-0 and Chambers gifting them an equaliser, that summed him up for me. Judge never lived up to the reputation he came with, Chambers was a typical MM player, Skuse just totally boring. I did think Smith could have been better treated , at least he scored some decent goals. Please don't let Chambers anywhere near PR or the training round.

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ernie added 20:30 - May 12 All complete no-hopers.
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blindkipper added 20:47 - May 12 Couldn't care less about these players…average at best, Colchester fans will be more than happy to see the back of them, they hated having the Ipswich cast offs
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NorthStandOracle added 22:28 - May 12 The disrespect shown above is actually laughable. Fair enough aimed at Sears, Huws, Judge but Skuse and Chambers were extremely solid and dependable championship players for the vast majority of their careers and predominantly at Town. They seem to have got the blame for Evans useless regime and terrible managers toward the end of their Town careers (I.e. Lambert playing a 37 year old Chambers at full back all season and loaning Donacien out) but do not forget they led the team with distinction for many years. Skuse In his prime next to a Morsy or Luongo would absolutely piss League one and would probably make a formidable partnership at championship level. Fed up of town fans blaming solely those two for our demise

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Europablue added 22:40 - May 12 NorthStandOracle, I totally agree. Most people don't really understand football. If there is something rotten at the very top, you are very unlikely to have a good team with good results. the fact is that we made the playoffs one year and we only got in a relegation fight after MM left us. Why we can't just enjoy what we have now without spiting bile at our exes, I'll never know!

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