COLCHESTER United head coach Hayden Mullins says the club's players are aware of the role they have to play, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

A number of Covid-19 cases in the U's squad forced their Boxing Day clash with Leyton Orient to be postponed.

It was the third successive Colchester game in League Two to be called off, following the increase in coronavirus cases up and down the country.

Some commentators have questioned the number of professional footballers who have been vaccinated but boss Mullins says that choice is down to the individual.

However, the U's head coach says all of his players are trying to be as safe as they can, both at the football club and in the outside world.

Mullins told the U's website: "The cases we're getting are both players that have been double vaccinated and players who aren't vaccinated.

"So it's hard to really separate the two.

"I know that it's going round a bit in the media about vaccinations and footballers and it's down to personal choice and preference.

"These boys understand the role they have towards the football club.

"I'm sure every single one of them is trying to be as safe as they can away from here.

"It's not just; it's a worldwide pandemic and it's hard to contain.

"We try to keep the group as close as we can and vaccination status is up to the lads.

"It's a tough one."

Gazette:

Colchester have not played since taking on Walsall, on December 11.

Their last three games have been called off in League Two due to Covid-19 cases and they are next scheduled to play next Wednesday, when they visit Sutton United.

Mullins said: "It's really come out of the blue the last week, before the Hartlepool game.

"Things started to get a bit bad and we started to get quite a few cases.

"Hartlepool called the game off but we were really stretched and it seems to have taken its toll a bit more. "We've found cases coming up every now and again, so it's really hard to try and contain it.

"We've asked the boys to be as careful as they can be, away from here.

"But we know that with the crowds and the Christmas period as it is, people out shopping and socialising, it's really hard to contain it.

"We come in daily and find out that someone is feeling a bit unwell, they're taking a test and going down with Covid.

"So it is tough to manage the training areas and we've tried to create a bit of a bubble now.

"We're trying to keep the boys as close as we can but it's away from here where we can't really control.

"There's no rules saying they have to stay in their houses but we ask them to be a little bit careful."