ten things...

Colchester
1 Far be it that international club matches are ever played there but they could claim to have enjoyed some 'unfriendlies' with those visiting Romans. Apparently these strikers had a field day, as the Brits first defensive line-up dramatically surrendered.
2 The Normans built the biggest keep in Europe there. They wanted to go for floodlit Champions League contests but couldn't raise necessary funds from local peasants at only a couple of groats for entry - though a weeks pay!
3 The place has so much history and culture going back to Bronze ages, that it is something of a surprise to learn Colchester only turned pro in 1937. It would seem they wanted to be considered exclusively academic but hey, in Essex?
4 Colchester Town was an amateur outfit doing regimented rounds long before the 20th century dawned. As the joint was actually a garrison, they arranged games against the local military for a bit of territorial rough and tumble.
5 After WW1 the army moved out and Colchester moved in to Layer road. Town remained true to amateur status like Ipswich until someone though there was money to be made - just as the Suffolk club had started to take off.
6 United took over the mantle and played in the Southern League. However WW2 was about to kick-off so after 3 years, Colchester took a rain check while not only the town but whole of southeast England was militarised.
7 In the fifties Us got into Third Division South and made a div3 cut in 1958, when now four divisions were extended countrywide.
8 During the sixties and seventies United was like a proverbial rubber ball, they kept bouncing. Unfortunately it was down rather than up.
9 Conference football followed repercussions of safety at 'wooden' grounds when capacity was slashed. United had to sell their home and suddenly didn't have to lose a full time existence after all.
10 Y2k and the Us have upped it and won't stop until they win the Championship and get a new home. Can it be real?