John McGreal will not forget his first season as a Football League manager in a hurry.

The Colchester United head coach has undergone something of a baptism of fire in his maiden year as a senior boss.

But he will undoubtedly be all the better for the various experiences he has had.

McGreal and his assistant Steve Ball can certainly be proud of their efforts as fledgling managerial duo.

They have tackled head on the various challenges that have come their way, of which there have been several.

The injuries to key players that have riddled McGreal’s squad throughout the last ten months might have defeated more experienced managers.

But the U’s head coach has never once complained about being without key personnel.

Instead, he has embraced the task of battling on without them and tried to find solutions.

Colchester ended the season without the services of Brennan Dickenson, Kurtis Guthrie, Luke Prosser, Denny Johnstone and Craig Slater, all key players brought in by McGreal last summer to boost his side’s promotion push.

So the fact the U’s finished the campaign unbeaten in six matches and just a point off the play-off places is testament not only to their management team and the decisions they have made along the way but also to the players who have stepped in and performed so well.

Of particular satisfaction to former academy coach McGreal will be the performances of some of the club’s homegrown youngsters such as Tom Lapslie, Drey Wright and Cameron James, over recent months.

When Colchester trooped in at half-time drawing 0-0 with Cheltenham Town last November they were bottom of League Two and without a victory in ten matches.

But McGreal’s tactics, team selection and squad management helped them turn around and the U’s lost only seven matches, from that moment on.

They just fell short of the play-offs but McGreal and his players will have learnt a lot and that will stand them in good stead.