Who do I ask for a reference after a layoff? - any advice?

My manager was laid off too and I am unsure who to use as a reference. A colleague offered to vouch for me. Is a client acceptable?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 3 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I kept a note of my results so my references could be specific. They appreciated it.