Tony Humes has left his position as Colchester United manager.

The news was announced by chairman Robbie Cowling at a press conference at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this lunchtime after speculation about his position had grown over the last two days.

Humes resigned from his position.

U's owner Robbie Cowling said: “I’m disappointed Tony has gone.

“I don’t think he should have parted ways with us.

“I still believe he’d be the ideal man to take the club forward.

“I’m going to get applications from people that some of the fans will consider club legends.

“For whatever reason people don’t see Tony in that light.

“But he came to this club and has been a massive part of building one of the best academy’.

“He took ocver the club with one point.

“He kept us up in against the odds.

“In my view he should still be here and we should be building a statue in his honour.

“He’s a legend - other people don’t see it that way and got abusive.”

Humes’ last game in charge of the U’s was in their 3-2 League One defeat by Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday when his team allowed a two-goal lead to be overturned by the division’s bottom-placed side.

It capped a run of four back-to-back losses that have seen the team slide to within one point of the relegation zone.

The former Ipswich Town defender was critical of the reaction of some fans who booed at the end of the game against the Railwaymen, saying that there were people who were “quite happy” for his team to fail.

Cowling spoke about the abuse Humes has received from fans.

He said: “I don’t blame the fans for being critical.

“We have seen it going across a line. It’s not acceptable.”

Humes became Colchester’s manager at the start of September last year.

His record as boss saw him take charge of 67 games with 22 wins, 15 draws and 30 defeats.

He kept them in League One last year after a season-long battle to avoid relegation, managing to maintain their place in the division on the final day of the campaign.

Colchester will have Richard Hall and John McGreal in a caretaker role to take charge for their League One trip to Burton Albion Saturday.

And in terms of his next appointment, Cowling suggested he would appoint from within.

“I can’t see me going outside the club," he said.

“There are some talented individuals within that probably deserve a good shot at it.

“I don’t think I’ll be looking outside again.

“I’m disappointing Tony’s gone but I believe the way the club is going at the moment is the only way.

“I don't see another way forward.

“Some of the fans might not like some of the things we do, but I want to make sure that there’s a club around in ten years that they can either like or dislike.

“I don’t want to make popular decisions.

"I want to make the right decisions and I don’t want to be part of a club where we go and get some journeyman manager in - someone who would come in and do things differently.

“I want to continue on this journey and I believe we’re on to something that’s successful."

Long-standing Colchester United Supporters' Association chairman Jon Burns said losing a manager at this time of year was becoming a familiar situation for U's fans.

"He said: "I feel for anyone in the situation that Tony Humes has been in as any human being should.

“But every year about this time, we seem to have the same situation and if I’m honest, I just long for some continuity.

“I think that’s what every fan wants, but unfortunately that doesn’t seem to happen at Colchester United.

“I read the other day that Championship managers, unless they are very lucky, can only expect to keep their jobs for an average of 11 to 12 months.

“Well, Tony Humes had a year and I think he did his best with what he had to play with.

“He is certainly a fine youth coach, but I just feel it wasn’t a fit between him and the players."