Geraint Williams admits the dismantling of last season's successful Colchester side is likely to cost them their Championship status this term.The Us, who finished 10th in their first-ever season in the second tier, lost key players Jamie Cureton, Chris Iwelumo, Richard Garcia and Wayne Brown over the summer and are now staring at a return to League One.

With his side 11 points adrift of safety at the foot of the table, Williams is already planning for a promotion push next season and insists the core of the squad stay together this time.

"It's vital that we do everything we can to keep the nucleus of this team together," he told the Gazette.

"It showed last year that you can't lose the nucleus of your first team and expect to just bring in replacements who knit together straight away.

"We have had success with the players who have come in and the concern is that we don't lose them. But ultimately as a team we haven't gelled well enough - that has showed in our league position."

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