Geraint delight: but will Mick stay?

“The lads have given their all tonight, which they had to. There were some big hearts out there.” – Geraint Williams, post-match interview, Southampton away

Following last Friday`s fantastic collective performance away at Southampton, Colchester United manager Geraint Williams declared himself extremely delighted with the 2-1 win.

It was the club`s first victory in five matches, since Colchester had gained three points away from home, by beating Barnsley in early February. At the final whistle, an animated Williams said it had restored some pride, in front of the nation on Sky TV, particularly after the low of the Derby performance a fortnight ago.

That disappointing 5-1 loss was also live for the cameras, although a baton for future successes was left in the wake of destruction, when Williams promised: “There will be more highs to come.”

He was right, and Colchester`s spirit was reborn here. The performance, banishing fears that the team had fallen foul of an end-of-season syndrome, certainly pleased the Welshman, who said: “Our pride was hurt after our last performance on Sky, so we had a meeting with the players during the week.

“We wanted to make sure we didn`t do it again, and I thought we were very positive from the start.”

Another member of the Colchester United team Geraint may well have also met is his assistant, Mick Hartford, who linked in the media recently with the now vacant position at Luton Town, following Mike Newell`s sacking last week.

Phil Parkinson originally appointed the former Kenilworth Road favourite as a coach, back in June 2006. A true hero in Luton colours, Mick has previously worked on the Hatters` coaching staff, before he later tried his hand at management, with Rotherham.

Although the bookies make him a clear favourite to succeed Newell, Colchester United are yet to comment on his possible departure. It would hardly have been appropriate for Williams to do so after the Southampton game, where he rightly heaped praise onto the brace-grabbing Jamie Cureton, instead.

“All the team have worked so hard for this win, none more so than Jamie. He took his goals well, and is now closer to 20 goals for the season. His first one was a simple finish, but his second was a top-quality goal.”

Williams was also readily dishing out praise to stopper Dean Gerken, whose display between the sticks shows us why Aidan Davison is so keen to delay his retirement to continue adding in Dean’s development.

“Dean Gerken had another great game. He knows that he has to keep on playing well, to keep out Aidan Davison, and I reckon he`s a young keeper who can go all the way to the top.”