It was interesting to hear Phil Parkinson reflect on his time at Colchester United in the aftermath of his return there with Bradford City.

More specifically, the U’s former manager spoke candidly about the young players that played their part in helping the club make history by winning promotion to the second tier, in 2006.

Parkinson highlighted the role the likes of Greg Halford, Dean Gerken and John White played in helping his side become such a success at Layer Road.

Naturally, he drew one or two parallels with the present day and the U’s current youth set-up, from which a number of youngsters featured against the Bantams.

A quick glance at the teamsheets from the Youth Alliance Cup Final played out between Colchester and Bradford at Valley Parade a few months ago will show that of the players on show that night, a greater proportion have made the step up to the U’s first-team set-up.

Sammie Szmodics, who hit a superb hat-trick in that game, Macauley Bonne, Frankie Kent, Jack Curtis and Dominic Smith are all players who have been involved with Colchester’s first team this season.

The quota who have progressed to Bradford’s first-team squad is smaller but perhaps that is because their approach is slightly different, with experienced players such as Alan Sheehan, Gary Liddle and Aaron McLean forming the backbone of their side.

And while youngsters such as Halford and Gerken prospered during his spell at Layer Road, it was a similar case for Parkinson during his time at Colchester.

His successful squad was a blend of youthful promise and seasoned professionals, with experienced players such as Kevin Watson, Aidan Davison and Wayne Brown playing a crucial part in their success.

Although Colchester’s 2014-15 playing personnel features the likes of Magnus Okuonghae, Sean Clohessy and Jabo Ibehre, it is predominantly a young side that reflects the club’s philosophy of producing their own players.

How Tony Humes strikes a balance between youth and experience will ultimately prove crucial in determining how successful he can be as Colchester manager – and whether or not he can eventually emulate Parkinson’s achievements.