ESSEX COUNTY STANDARD U's REPORTER SIMON SPURGEON DELIVERS HIS THOUGHTS ON Colchester United IN HIS WEEKLY COLUMN:

Colchester United may only have had two seasons at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, but the search is on for the fourth manager of that new era.

With the news that Aidy Boothroyd has been enticed away from his job as Colchester United manager to become the next Coventry City boss, U’s fans have naturally been asking one question – who’s next?

It came as somewhat of a shock when it was revealed that Boothroyd had been holding talks with the Sky Blues about taking their vacant manager’s position.

With just two wins from their last 14 games, it’s fair to say last season didn’t end happily for the U’s under Boothroyd’s stewardship, but he had big plans for next season.

Boothroyd said he was looking to have a revamped squad in place by the end of this month ready for a rigorous pre-season campaign.

But, with less than two weeks to go before that June deadline, the bombshell was dropped that he may be off.

His departure would mean that, after Geraint Williams, Paul Lambert and Boothroyd himself, there will have been four occupiers of the hot seat within two seasons. And with Lambert and Boothroyd leaving in the last 12 months, a famous literary quotation inevitably springs to mind.

It is Lady Bracknell who offers the line in The Importance of Being Ernest: “To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune.

“To lose both looks like carelessness.”

As of parents, the same may be said of managers.

There’s nothing careless about Colchester’s treatment of their managers, though, in fact Boothroyd has always been quick to sing the praises of the support he has received from chairman Robbie Cowling.

However, losing two managers in quick succession may lead to caution in the appointment of the next.

Cowling appointed two young and aspiring managers in Boothroyd and Lambert, only to see them lured away by the bright lights of big city living and that may figure in his thinking when it comes to interview time.

No-one wants Colchester to be a managerial bedding ground for Championship clubs and the U’s chairman may feel that another up-and-coming boss isn’t the way forward this time.

We’ve tried that twice, let’s try something else.

If he does, then possible names already put forward would include former U’s favourites Mark Kinsella and Kevin Watson or even Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Apparently the ex-Chelsea striker’s application was well thought of when Boothroyd was appointed.

However, should Cowling think ‘twice bitten, thrice shy’ he may look for a more experienced man who is attracted by what Colchester have to offer, but whose head may not be so easily turned once here.

Ronnie Moore was another who got close when Boothroyd got the nod, but Rotherham fans might not appreciate an approach after he secured a date at Wembley for them in the League Two play-off final.

Dagenham’s John Still may be another and Mick Harford had great success working as a coach under Williams in Colchester’s first year in the Championship, while Alan Curbishley’s profile in the game would tick plenty of boxes if an experienced head is sought.

However, there is one other category if long-term attachment is the key ingredient in Cowling’s deliberations – get a man who is U’s to the core.

There are plenty who fit that bill.

Joe Dunne is topping many people’s list of favourites, while Kinsella would also fall into the category and Steve Foley may finally fancy the big step up into the main hotseat after being released by Ipswich recently.