Colchester boss Joe Dunne spoke to his club's official website ahead of his side's League One match away to Carlisle tomorrow afternoon, Dunne first looking back on the U's rescaping relegation by winning 2-0 at Brunton Park on the final day of the 2012-13 campaign:
“Last season was obviously a great day for everybody. It was a great day for the club in terms of staying in the league, we spoke that day and said it was life-changing in terms of what we could go from now and gaining from those experiences. At the moment we are moving forward, but that is in the past, that is a different time, different game, manager, players. So, as much as we respect what we did there last year this is a different moment in time and we have got to go there and play a difficult game.
“The atmosphere going into that game was very relaxed and positive, the players we had, many of who we have still got now had a determination about them. I think we have added to that group, you have seen how Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt, two players who weren’t involved that day who offer us different things going into the game, Dominic Vose who again offers different things. But, the group is pretty much the same and I think we have learned and moved on and hopefully we continue to do that.
“Anyone pretty much down from that top six blows hot and cold, anybody beats anybody, Stevenage beat Swindon the other evening, these results come about and there are many teams like that in our league, that is our league. I am sure Graham Kavanagh will be working very hard to see this home game against us as an opportunity to turn things round. Every game is different, we had the euphoria of having a good performance and a good win last week, but that is gone.
“We take what we can from it but this is a new game that presents new challenges. The motivation and drive of the players has to be the same. I think this league, and other leagues, if you look at the top of our league those teams have the tools and they can strengthen. You look at the movement that has happened in this window, some of the good, good players that have gone to the top clubs. We all love the romance of being able to break the mould, but it is getting harder.
“Resources at certain places make it very difficult for that, the rest of us are trying to break the mould and work within our budgets and try to pick up the results we can every now and then. But, I think you see juggernauts now just driving forward at the top of our league. Leyton Orient have managed to keep good consistency, that is through good management and having a group for a long period of time.
“Wolves just keep adding, Brentford just keep pushing forward. But, you have seen the other side where Peterborough have had a bit of a blip, they are going to come back, no question about that. So, that is our league and that is the difficulty and if the top clubs keep adding the quality, and if you look down all the leagues I think you will see the same with the top teams all with great resources and recruiting really well.
“So, it is difficult but we are all trying to do the best we can for our club, and I think that is important. It is those three points on a Saturday afternoon where you are judged. I think there is a clinical side of football where if you have those players it will turn around. We are all trying to get the same results, but it is not the same for all of us. But, we play every game going to out to win and everybody else does.”