Danny and Nicky Cowley: 'Ant and Dec of football' seek Colchester United safety

Danny (left) and Nicky Cowley were appointed by Colchester after the sacking of Matthew Etherington

They have been dubbed 'the Ant and Dec of football'.

And Colchester United fans certainly hope that brothers and management duo Danny and Nicky Cowley can produce a regular Saturday night takeaway of points between now and the end of the League Two season.

"I love Ant and Dec, I think they are two of the best presenters this country has ever produced," head coach Danny tells BBC Look East.

"They're brilliant at their job and I think that's a big compliment, for Nicky and I. We are two people that know each other inside out, we have that hard-to-find commodity of trust, which is really important - not just in football, but in life.

"Because of our relationship, we kind of have that telepathy where we know what the other one is doing and we can support each other accordingly."

It could all have been very different.

Back in November the Cowleys had the chance to take charge at Bradford City, but family concerns prompted a change of heart by Danny and he turned the job down.

Now, just a few weeks later, they have taken on the task of bringing back the feel-good factor to Colchester.

Just 30 odd miles from Rayleigh, where the brothers formerly worked as school PE teachers while cutting their coaching teeth at Concord Rangers and Braintree Town, they are back at the sharp end after leaving Portsmouth 12 months ago.

A case of 'you can take the boys out of Essex, but you can't take Essex out of the boys'?

'Anything is possible'

It's been a tough few years for Colchester, as managers and head coaches have come and gone at regular intervals.

Relegated from League One in 2016, they have not finished in the top half of the table in the fourth tier since the Covid-disrupted 2019-20 season and were in 22nd place, facing the prospect of another fight to avoid relegation, when the Cowleys were approached by owner Robbie Cowling.

Two draws later, it's a position they still occupy, but Danny Cowley is a firm believer in the power of positivity.

"First and foremost we have to be humble enough to know the position we are in. And we have to navigate through that. From there, anything is possible," the 45-year-old said.

"I see so many people put a ceiling on what they think they can achieve. Nicky and I have managed in eight of the top nine divisions, so of course the ambition is to find a way to the ninth.

"You have to dream big always. Once you have a start point and a destination, the stepping stones become that much clearer and you understand what you have to do to make sure you can navigate that journey."

Successful start to managerial career

Danny Cowley achieved two promotions in the space of three seasons as manager of Lincoln City

Following three promotions in four years with Concord the Cowleys steered Braintree to the National League play-offs in 2016, which led to them being linked with Colchester for the first time.

"I'll be forever thankful to that group [at Braintree] and what we achieved that season," Danny says.

Instead of Colchester, they headed north for Lincoln City, taking them from non-league to League One in three years, as well as winning the EFL Trophy at Wembley.

The pair were headhunted by struggling Championship side Huddersfield Town but, despite succeeding in keeping the Yorkshire club in the second tier, they experienced their first career hiccup when they were sacked 10 months later.

The brothers eventually returned to football with Portsmouth and spent just short of two years at Fratton Park before being let go two days into 2023, following a run of nine games without a win.

But their record of achievement persuaded Cowling that they are the right men to lead his club out of trouble.

"It's always a privilege for [assistant head coach] Nicky and I to come to a new club. There's so much learning to take in that early phase," said Danny, whose teenage daughter is a player in Chelsea's academy.

"In this early stage, when you've just joined a club, you're just trying to build connections, build relationships, trying to understand the club and the way of working, what you can run with - where you can maybe get some quick wins and add some value yourself, while at the same time giving the players clarity over how they're going to play and also preparing for matches.

"It's a unique industry in that respect, but we wouldn't want it any other way. It's been a whirlwind but one we've really enjoyed."

Support from the stands

Colchester spent two seasons in the Championship from 2007 to 2009, when Teddy Sheringham was in their squad

What the Cowleys will not lack, assuming they can turn the team's fortunes around, is support from the stands.

Before last weekend's 1-1 home draw against Bradford City, one caller told the BBC Essex fans' phone-in: "They will be judged on results, of course they will, but I just think they bring something different. Enthusiasm and positivity goes a long way."

Players believe in them too, with former U's midfielder Sammie Szmodics, now with Blackburn Rovers, telling BBC Essex: "I was close to joining them at Huddersfield when they were there, but worked with them at Braintree, only for two or three games.

"They are very full on, very hands on, and they know how important Colchester football club is to the town. It's good to see them back in management and I'm sure they'll do well."

There is no doubting how much the brothers are enjoying being back in an area they know so well, or how much they want to provide success for U's fans.

"We're local boys, we understand the community and what this football club means to so many people. We understand the challenge in front of us and, for Nicky and I, it's always been about running towards a challenge, that's what we've done all of our lives," Danny Cowley said.

"Our short-term ambition is to retain our status in this division and we know that's not going to be easy, we're going to have to work relentlessly to make that happen. But when we do, and I look at this club and the many good people already here, I feel we have a springboard to jump on and I only see exciting times ahead. It's for us to try to maximise its potential."

So what does brother Nicky - the younger by three years - make of the Ant and Dec comparison?

"I'm not sure we're quite as funny as those guys - but it is a pretty unique relationship, there's not been too many brothers that have managed together," he said.

"Some people might find it hard to work with another family member, but Danny and I have always been so close.

"I actually played for Danny when he was managing at Concord. We are very aligned in our values. It feels like a good fit to work as a partnership."

Interviews by BBC Look East's Jonathan Park