Fearing the chop

Having lost for a fifth time in six games Joe Dunne fears he could be sacked as Colchester boss already!

Dunne took over from John Ward in September but knows "the buck stops" with him so an improvement is needed: 'It's a bad run and managers lose their job for that kind of stuff - the buck stops with me.

'We've lost five in six. Prior to that we were doing great but that counts for nothing now. Although we were bottom when I took over, we moved our way up and now we're slipping back down. I don't want to lose too many more or else I won't be standing here talking to you guys.'

A "frank conversation" has been had following the 5-1 defeat at MK Dons at the weekend: 'We've had a frank conversation in the changing room, and that's putting it politely. It has to stop because we are now showing relegation form - it's disappointing.'

Things can change quickly in football, The U's were bottom when Dunne took over, he moved them towards the play-off places but they are again slipping towards the relegation places so this form must be arrested sooner rather than later!