Andy Woodman’s stunned expression says it all.

The Colchester United goalkeeper and his team-mates were on the wrong end of a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against struggling Swindon Town at Layer Road back in March, 2001.

And to make matters worse, the Robins’ all-important winner came after a defensive mix-up allowed Michael Reddy scoring just before the half hour mark, in front of a disappointing crowd of 2,736.

A Colchester side which also featured the likes of Joe Keith, Gavin Johnson and Karl Duguid tried their best to get back into the game in the second half but a number of chances went begging and they slumped to a disappointing home defeat.

The result meant that Steve Whitton’s side remained in trouble near the foot of Nationwide Division Two, with six weeks of the season remaining.

But the U’s won their next game, beating fellow strugglers Luton Town 3-1, to ease the pressure and further crucial victories followed against Swansea City and Reading before the season was out, to ensure safety.

Swindon also stayed up that season by a solitary point, with Bristol Rovers, Swansea, Luton and Oxford United dropping out of the division.

Woodman had played for most of the second half of the campaign, having been an emergency signing for the U’s in November, 2000.

He had linked up with the club just hours before they had kicked off against Reading and helped them keep a clean sheet on his debut.

Woodman went on to make more than 100 league appearances for Colchester before leaving to join Oxford United, initially on loan, after being dropped for a game against Tranmere Rovers in January, 2002.

Woodman, whose son Freddie Woodman is on the books of Newcastle United and was part of the England side that won the England under-20 World Cup last year, went on to play for the likes of Stevenage and Thurrock and over recent years, has coached at the likes of Newcastle and Crystal Palace.

He is close friends with his former Palace team-mate, England manager Gareth Southgate and the pair teamed up to write a 2003 book called ‘Woody and Nord’, which highlighted the duo’s differing career paths.