Club captain inducted in testimonial year.
Colchester United captain Kem Izzet received an unexpected surprise ahead of the final home game of the 2010/11 season against Bristol Rovers when he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame at a dinner at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Kem, who qualifies for the Hall of Fame having been at the club for over ten years, received his accolade at the Former Players Dinner at the Weston Homes in front of an appreciative crowd of former stars who had previously pulled on the blue and white stripes in previous years.
Kem arrived at the club at the end of the 2000/01 season, having found his first team chances restricted at his first team, Charlton Athletic.
Having made his debut on loan, his move was quickly converted into a permanent transfer by then boss Steve Whitton and he has been a mainstay of the team ever since.
Despite missing virtually a whole season with an ankle injury, Kem is now comfortably in the top ten appearance makers for the club and is closing in on seventh place on the list after breaking the 400 appearances in all competitions barrier earlier this season.
Kem, who was named as club captain for what is his testimonial season with Colchester United, was joined in being inducted into the club's Hall of Fame by another former captain, Bob Curry.
Bob, who sadly passed away in June 2001 - not long after Kem's arrival at the club - played 138 league games for the U's, scoring 78 goals in that time.
He was a predecessor of Kem's in wearing the captain's armband and led the U's through their momentous FA Cup run of 1947/8, which saw the non-league side reach the Fifth Round, knocking out the giants of Huddersfield Town along the way.
He scored the winning goals against the Terriers and against Wrexham in that cup run, along with two more in the win over Bradford Park Avenue.
Helping the U's into the Football League, he finished the first league season as the club's top scorer with fifteen goals.
Bob's daughter Tricia was on hand to accept his award.