Tony Humes leaves Colchester United: A look back at his time in charge
Colchester United are looking for a new manager this afternoon after deciding to part company with Tony Humes.
It brings to an end a 14-month spell in charge for the former academy boss, who managed to save the U's from relegation last season.
Here's a look back at his time in charge of the club.
A chance to shine
After a successful reign as academy manager, Humes was promoted to the top job following the sacking of Joe Dunne in September 2014.
Humes had impressed during his previous role, helping academy graduates such as Alex Gilbey and Sammie Szmodics force their way into the first team squad.
The U's made a solid start to life under Humes, earning a goalless draw at Walsall before picking up their first win of the season at Leyton Orient.
They continued to climb the League One table in October, before a disastrous November saw their progress halted.
The sale of influential striker Freddie Sears to Ipswich Town was a further blow to their survival hopes.
The U's continued to struggle for the rest of the season, and looked destined to be playing their football in the fourth tier in 2015/16.
The great escape
With the U's unable to string any real run of form together, relegation looked a formality, but Humes and his team had other ideas.
The momentum changed with a priceless 3-2 win at Fleetwood Town in late April and they followed that result up with a 1-1 draw at home to play-off hopefuls Swindon Town.
That gave the U's a glimmer of hope going into their final game of the campaign against Preston North End, who themselves had to win the game to gain automatic promotion to The Championship.
With the game heading towards a stalemate, midfielder George Moncur came to the rescue in the closing stages to clinch a famous victory and spark wild celebrations in the stands.
It meant that with results going their way elsewhere, Colchester completed the most unlikely of escapes to avoid the drop in dramatic fashion.
Defensive worries
Colchester's season so far has been blighted by their poor defensive record, with the U's having shipped more goals (44) than any other team in the Football League.
That has seen them once again struggle at the wrong end of the table, with the club currently only a point outside the relegation zone.
A run of four wins on the bounce in September had seen Colchester pushing towards the play-offs but their form has dipped alarmingly since then.
The new manager faces a big task to ensure that the U's aren't involved in another relegation scrap come May.
Who's the favourite to replace him?
Assistant manager Richard Hall will be seen as one the favourites to replace Humes, especially after chairman Robbie Cowling admitted that he "couldn't see himself appointing anyone outside the club."
Hall is a former Southampton and West Ham United defender.
He also spent time as reserve team manager at hometown club Ipswich Town.
The current favourite though is academy boss John McGreal who's currently at evens (all odds courtesy of SkyBet):
John McGreal - Evens
Richard Hall - 5/2
Lee Clark - 5/1
Paul Dickov - 6-1
John Carver - 8/1
Edgar Davis - 8/1