Blues Host Osasuna at Colchester
Wednesday, 29th Jul 2026 10:34

Town play their first game in front of fans under new manager Gary O’Neil when they take on La Liga Osasuna in a friendly at Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium this evening (KO 7.45pm).

Following three matches behind closed doors, a 2-0 victory over Southend, a 2-2 draw with Cambridge United, both at Playford Road, and Saturday’s 0-0 draw with FC Cartagena at the end of the week-long La Manga training camp, the Blues are set to step up their pre-season programme against tougher opposition.

In Spain, O’Neil gave his starting XI 60 minutes before swapping personnel for the final 30 and that may well be the plan again this evening.

Many of the players that travelled for the training camp but didn’t feature on Saturday - Abdul Fatawu, Jaden Philogene, Harry Clarke, Jack Clarke, Alex Palmer, Jacob Greaves, George Hirst and Wes Burns - may well be pencilled in to start, assuming they’re fit, while the first-team regulars that played only the last half hour - skipper Dara O’Shea, Cameron Humphreys, Leif Davis, Marcelino Nunez, Ali Al-Hamadi, Anis Mehmeti and new striker Emersonn - also seem set for greater involvement this evening.

More recent signings Issa Diop and Daizen Maeda, who started training with the squad on Monday, and Kjell Scherpen, whose move was confirmed yesterday, may well play a part at some stage.

Christian Walton and Sammie Szmodics didn’t travel for the training camp due to injury, while the Irish international is also interesting his former loan side Derby and other Championship clubs. Links with Birmingham City have been dismissed, however.

Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor underwent minor surgery at the end of last season and are unlikely to be considered ready for games at this stage of pre-season.

Youngsters Fin Barbrook, Steven Turner, Corbin Mthunzi and Luca Fletcher all got minutes on Saturday and may well be in this evening’s travelling party.

Osasuna - who previously visited Town for a friendly in August 2004, losing 2-1 to Joe Royle’s team - finished 17th in La Liga last season, missing out on relegation on goal difference. A TWTD blog on their squad can be found here.

The game is being streamed live by Colchester United with passes costing £5 available here.

Photo: TWTD

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stinkiusminkius added 10:53 - Jul 29 We urgently need to address our centre midfield options. Could do with one (if not 2), experienced and match fit players in time to be able to play for the Sunderland game.
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Bazza8564 added 11:19 - Jul 29 Stinki, 100%, and the links with Lukic show thats beginning to mature. Im sure we will buy two, Humphreys will be sold and Barbrook will go out on loan again
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trevski_s added 11:33 - Jul 29

Will be good to see all the new guys in action even if its just 45-60 mins. Remember these are just friendlies and are more important so Gary can see more of everyone in action and start to work out who is going to play where

We are getting there and still a few more weeks to go and its usually August time when you see transfers a bit more frequently (might be one or 2 around deadline day). Don't think we need much more now. In my eyes could do with:
Either a RB and/or LB (depending on what's going to happen with Johnson)
1 more CB (especially if GON decides to play 3 CBs some games)
At least 1 new CM (2 potentially with Humphreys getting loaned out)
1 more ST (I think GON is planning to use Maeda more on the LW as he does for Japan and Jadan is looking more likely to be leaving)

CaseyJones added 12:31 - Jul 29 Does anyone know how we get this on town tv if have a membership ? Do we just google town tv and login ?
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StowTractor added 12:54 - Jul 29 Sorry Phil, are you really suggesting that we will start with 2 wingers on each side of the pitch? The article suggests that Fatawu, Burns, Philogene & J Clarke will all start?
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Klassic_Ben added 13:08 - Jul 29 Know it’s only a friendly but looking forward to this - not only to see who starts but how we line up. @CaseyJones yeah just google town tv & log in @trevski_s Would agree with that though could maybe add another cm st & maybe even a 10 to the list as well depending on how we line up & who leaves?
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Runner added 13:17 - Jul 29 The way our supporters are, I can see tonight being a sell out. I went to a pre season friendly a few seasons back & missed the 1st 15 minutes due to no one thinking it was going to be that busy. Get there early tonight folks.
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ITFCson added 13:20 - Jul 29 Bit of a stretch to call Humphreys and Al-Hamadi first team regulars
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krizz00 added 13:22 - Jul 29 Caseyjones, The Osasuna match isn't being broadcast on TownTV so it's not available via that route even if you have a subscription. You need to go to the Colchester Utd site as per the link in the article. The next match on Town TV is Le Havre.
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CaseyJones added 13:33 - Jul 29 Ok thanks gents , sorry I hadn’t read the bit at the bottom @ Krizz. Thanks all
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billlm added 14:12 - Jul 29 The amount of time it takes town to do any deal what so ever we better have a few way down the pipeline or were going into the season very bare,
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del45 added 14:21 - Jul 29 Yes I agree billm we need to get the new players in place.
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del45 added 14:21 - Jul 29 Yes I agree billm we need to get the new players in place.
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bricor2011 added 14:50 - Jul 29 We need a clearout of at least eight players.
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Linkboy13 added 15:58 - Jul 29 Yes there's far too many players kicking about the club with not a cat in hell's chance of playing for the first team and this is holding up the progress of the club. Sorry ive never been very sentimental.
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jdtractor96 added 16:29 - Jul 29 “missing out on relegation on goal difference”. Did they want to get relegated then?! Haha! Agree with the comments above. Still plenty of incomings and outgoings in the next few weeks
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PortmanTerrorist added 17:51 - Jul 29 Pay £40 quid for membership and Town TV and the first chance they have to show justification is wasted and another £5 money grab. I don't care too hear about logistics. We are a Premier League club and that's tin pot! Well be recovering from sedation so will either miss it or buy it in a drug addled state.... probably both!
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guentchev123 added 18:09 - Jul 29 Will be interesting to see if Jaden Philogene plays
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itfchorry added 18:10 - Jul 29 Casey Jones - Steaming and a Rolling !!
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armchaircritic59 added 18:12 - Jul 29

Just a couple of things, and as pointed out above, whatever the result tonight, it is not the time to make concrete judgements. Remember last season, everyone seemed to think we were flying in the build up, well remember what happened when the season actually started? It has often worked the opposite way too. This is the first proper opportunity to test ourselves against at least decent opposition, as much another leg stretching exercise as anything else. Does the result matter? Not so much as the performance at this stage of proceedings.

Also, we need a CMF and no1 striker in ASAP. By CMF I don't mean a defensive one. And on that subject, we do need a CDMF also though, to give proper competition to AM. Let's see what happens.

itfchorry added 18:13 - Jul 29 When you hear the tooting of the whistle- There’ll be Casey, the Fireman and the rest of the of the Crew - hoot hoot !!
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algarvefan added 18:32 - Jul 29 This site says 1945hrs and Colchesters says 1915hrs? Anyone know which is correct?
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cressi added 18:47 - Jul 29 Kick off 7. 45. But I imagine the stream comes to life at 7 15.
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bluelad7 added 18:52 - Jul 29 I think it’s disgusting that it’s not on Town TV. We are given them revenue by letting them host the game. And we have to pay £5 to watch a game that they are gonna get every penny for absolute disgraceful. And for all the excitement and was looking forward to this I am not going to give another club my money when I already pay a subscription to town TV.
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bluelad7 added 19:05 - Jul 29 Why is that negative LuciBlue? My opinion, just don’t think it right to line their pockets even more and empty mine at the same time.
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