Club captain leaves for pastures new.
Colchester United club captain Kem Izzet has left the club, after the U's and the experienced midfielder reached a compromise on the remaining time on his contract.
The move frees up the long serving U's captain to seek a new club outside of the transfer window, which is due to close later on Monday.
Kem's departure ends a lengthy twelve year association with Colchester United, which saw him play in excess of 400 games for the club.
Having arrived at Layer Road as a fresh faced 19-year-old, he went on to play for the U's on a regular basis over the next decade, finishing his stint in fifth place in the all time appearance makers list for Colchester United.
Originally arriving on loan under the management of Steve Whitton in 2001, Kem was a mainstay under a host of managers in the years to come, with seven U's bosses making him a mainstay of their team.
His early days at the club saw him as a forward thrusting midfielder, a regular in the opposition box and a player good for goals for the U's.
As time passed, his role evolved into more of a spoiler role and there were many opposition midfielders who will have known that they were in a game with the tenacious midfielder.
His snappy tackles and his ability to track runners off the ball meant that he was a key part of the U's successes, including their best ever finish in their Football League history.
That memorable first season in the Championship saw Kem as a key part of the team and his place in the U's highest achievements later saw him inducted into the Hall of Fame - the first current player to be given that accolade.
As club captain, his work off the pitch - both in the dressing room and in the community - was crucial to the U's development over the past decade.
The Colchester United that Kem leaves in September 2013 is a very different entity to the one he joined twelve years ago, and he has played a key part in that development.
A regular face around the town in representing the U's, he has been a true captain for the club.
With the news breaking today, his next step is still to be decided, but it's clear that he will have left his footprint on the club and will no doubt be seen at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in the future.
Everyone at Colchester United - fans, players and staff - wishes Kem and his family all the very best for the future and thanks him for his efforts at Colchester United.
The move frees up the long serving U's captain to seek a new club outside of the transfer window, which is due to close later on Monday.
Kem's departure ends a lengthy twelve year association with Colchester United, which saw him play in excess of 400 games for the club.
Having arrived at Layer Road as a fresh faced 19-year-old, he went on to play for the U's on a regular basis over the next decade, finishing his stint in fifth place in the all time appearance makers list for Colchester United.
Originally arriving on loan under the management of Steve Whitton in 2001, Kem was a mainstay under a host of managers in the years to come, with seven U's bosses making him a mainstay of their team.
His early days at the club saw him as a forward thrusting midfielder, a regular in the opposition box and a player good for goals for the U's.
As time passed, his role evolved into more of a spoiler role and there were many opposition midfielders who will have known that they were in a game with the tenacious midfielder.
His snappy tackles and his ability to track runners off the ball meant that he was a key part of the U's successes, including their best ever finish in their Football League history.
That memorable first season in the Championship saw Kem as a key part of the team and his place in the U's highest achievements later saw him inducted into the Hall of Fame - the first current player to be given that accolade.
As club captain, his work off the pitch - both in the dressing room and in the community - was crucial to the U's development over the past decade.
The Colchester United that Kem leaves in September 2013 is a very different entity to the one he joined twelve years ago, and he has played a key part in that development.
A regular face around the town in representing the U's, he has been a true captain for the club.
With the news breaking today, his next step is still to be decided, but it's clear that he will have left his footprint on the club and will no doubt be seen at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in the future.
Everyone at Colchester United - fans, players and staff - wishes Kem and his family all the very best for the future and thanks him for his efforts at Colchester United.