This only leaves a little over two weeks until the start of the Premiership season, so expect this fixture to be in the middle of a cluster of pre-season matches. Colchester have announced a provisional kick-off time of 7.30pm, but this needs to be run by Essex police prior to being formally announced.
As with many friendly games in football, there is a link between the two clubs, and in this instance the link is U's boss Steve Whitton, who worked with Hammers assistant manager Paul Goddard at Ipswich. Steve Whitton also played for the Hammers for a short stint in the mid 1980s.
When Vladimir Labant signed from Sparta Prague, there was talk of a pre-season friendly happening as part of that deal, but a club spokesman informed us that no date has yet been made for that fixture.