Academy Head steps up to senior role.
Colchester United are delighted to welcome Tony Humes as the new manager of the football club.
Tony has been a key part of the club's recent successes of youth team players progressing into the first team, and now will work towards continuing the club's playing and development philosophy.
Tony enjoyed a fifteen year career as a player. Having started out at near neighbours Ipswich Town, Tony made 120 appearances for the Suffolk side, before moving to Wrexham in 1992.
A no-nonsense and uncompromising centre half, Tony played more than 200 games for the Welsh side, before retiring in 1999.
His commitment to youth began early, spending two years with Wrexham's Centre of Excellence.
A return to Suffolk in 2001 saw him eventually promoted to Academy Manager at Portman Road five years later.
After three years of bringing through talent for Town, he moved to the U's in 2009 as Head of Youth.
In his five years at Colchester United, Tony has played an influential part in the club's planning for youth football, including a key role alongside chairman Robbie Cowling in the club's successful accreditation for Category Two this season.
He has also overseen the progression of the club's young players, with the U18s sealing a first ever league and cup double last season and working with former boss Joe Dunne on bringing through the players into first team football.
Everyone at the U's wishes Tony the best with his new job. Further details about the reorganisation of the managerial team will follow in due course.
He will now work with that first team squad to lift the U’s up the League One table and to continue the progress made at the club in recent years.