Wayne Brown: Colchester United confirm interim boss as permanent head coach

Colchester won nine of their 22 games after Wayne Brown was put in charge, with six draws and seven defeats

Colchester United have confirmed Wayne Brown as their full-time head coach, four months after he was put in charge as interim boss for a third time.

The 44-year-old former U's defender replaced Hayden Mullins, who left in January with the club only three points above the League Two relegation zone.

He guided the team to a 15th-place finish, 17 points clear of danger.

Details of his contract have not been disclosed but assistants Joe Dunne and Dave Huzzey will also be staying.

"When you give an amount of hours and years to a football club, it becomes part of your DNA and makes you want to succeed even more," Brown told BBC Essex.

"I feel really privileged and honoured to be given the opportunity to mange a club like this."

He added: "It's an exciting time for me, for Joe and Dave, to continue this relationship, to evolve together and hopefully keep improving and striving with the team."

Brown played more than 150 games for Colchester and was on the coaching staff from 2013-2018, during which time he had a spell in caretaker charge in the 2015-16 season.

He was managing Isthmian League North Division side Maldon & Tiptree when he was asked by owner Robbie Cowling to return to the club in February 2021 following Steve Ball's departure as boss.

Former Crystal Palace and Watford midfielder Mullins was then given the job the following month, initially in a caretaker capacity, but departed early in the year after only five wins in the club's first 24 league games this season.

Maldon and Tiptree have confirmed former Colchester winger Paul Abrahams as their new manager after being given the job of caretaker when Brown took on his role with the U's.