[themaclad]

League Two side Colchester United have appointed former Charlton Athletic boss Ben Garner as their new head coach.

The 42-year-old succeeds Matt Bloomfield, who left the U's last week to take the helm of League One side Wycombe Wanderers.

Garner will take charge of the club after Saturday's game against Bradford.

He worked in League Two last season as Swindon Town boss before leaving in June for Charlton, where he lasted just six months.

Garner was sacked by the Addicks in December, with the London side 17th in League One table after collecting just two points in his final five games in charge.

The length of Garner's deal at Colchester has not been disclosed, but his first game will be at home to Stockport County on Saturday, 11 March.

The former Bristol Rovers boss takes over a U's side that are 19th in the table and nine points clear of the relegation places.

'Taking the U's job at a good time'
Garner says he sees "real potential" at Colchester, a side that was helped up the table by rookie boss Bloomfield.

"A big attraction for me was the structure in place and the vision moving forward," Garner told the club website. "I can't wait to get started and am looking forward to the opportunity.

"I think there is real potential. I think I'm taking the job at a real good time and right time in order for us all to move the club in the direction we want to go.

"This season is about making sure we stay in the division and making sure we are solid for next year, then it's about looking forward.

"We will be looking to improve things for next season, and will start working on that now - looking ahead to recruitment and where we want to take the squad. I think it will be exciting."

Caretaker manager Ross Embleton will remain in charge for this weekend's game against the Bantams, with Garner there to "observe".

Garner will then take training for the first time next week, by which time the U's say "it is expected that additional staff will have joined" the new head coach.

[themaclad]

Ben and gone

Struggling League Two side Colchester United have sacked head coach Ben Garner after seven months in charge.

Saturday's 2-1 home reverse by Harrogate left the U's second-bottom in the fourth tier after four successive league defeats.

Garner, 43, took over in March after Matt Bloomfield left to become League One Wycombe Wanderers' boss.

The former Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Charlton manager won seven of his 28 games in charge.

Colchester, who have lost nine of their 13 league games this season, travel to Grimsby on Tuesday and then face another long trip to Accrington on Saturday.

They are the fifth League Two team to change manager this campaign after Tranmere, Bradford, Gillingham and MK Dons.

After their first game of the season against Swindon was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, the U's began with three straight league defeats.

They claimed a surprise 3-0 home win over Gillingham to collect their first win of the season and beat high-flying Notts County 5-4 in a terrific encounter last month.

However, they have lost their past four league games, including a 5-0 thumping at fellow strugglers Forest Green last Saturday, and the club have decided to make a change as they look to avoid a relegation to non-league for the first time since 1992.

Colchester performances 'have tailed off'
Analysis - BBC Essex sport editor Victoria Polley

The departure of Ben Garner as head coach of Colchester is and isn't a surprise.

After a 5-0 thrashing at Forest Green Rovers, he spoke of being determined to turn the club's losing culture around.

But seven days later, after a 2-1 defeat at home by Harrogate Town which leaves them second from bottom in League Two, he's been relieved of his duties.

Garner joined the club back in March, a second external head coach brought in after a string of internal appointments failed to address the U's' issue of dodging relegation out of the EFL for the past three seasons.

Garner was backed by chairman Robbie Cowling in the summer transfer window but has been hampered with injuries to his squad this season, meaning the average age of the current team is around 22.

The style of play that he has implemented has been pleasing to watch but aside from significant wins over Gillingham and Notts County, who both topped League Two at the time of the U's' victories, those performances haven't necessarily translated into points and have tailed off in recent weeks.

Football is a results-based business and Colchester United will have to have yet another reset and change of personnel as they look to turn things around and swerve the threat of relegation into the National League once again this season.