COLCHESTER United’s players are currently at their pre-season training camp in Malaga, as their preparations for the new League Two season get underway in earnest.

The U’s first-team squad are being put through their paces, as they prepare for their first full campaign under head coach Ben Garner, following his appointment in March.

 

With a host of players having departed the JobServe Community Stadium at the end of the 2022-23 season, the U’s boss and his coaching team are busy shaping their own squad for the games to come.

The whole of the Colchester squad will be hoping to hit the ground running but we’ve picked out five players who we think will be particularly striving to impress Garner and his assistants Scott Marshall, Dave Huzzey and Graham Stack, as they build up to the big kick-off on August 5.

Gazette:

SAM HORNBY

COLCHESTER shot-stopper Sam Hornby was sadly deprived of the opportunity to try and impress Ben Garner and goalkeeper coach Graham Stack after undergoing a shoulder operation, shortly before Matt Bloomfield’s departure to Wycombe Wanderers.

The 28-year-old is now fit again and will have the chance to work with Stack and young colleague Ted Collins, who himself is also recovering from surgery undergone in the final months of the previous campaign.

READ MORE: League Two side snap up former U's striker

With Kieran O’Hara released by Colchester at the end of last season, it is highly likely that Colchester will attempt to bring in another goalkeeper this summer, to provide extra competition in that department.

And with that in mind, Hornby will be perhaps looking to steal a march on any potential new recruits by performing well in the opening days of pre-season.

Gazette:

CHAY COOPER

FORMER Spurs youngster Chay Cooper spent the final weeks of last season out on loan at National League South side St Albans City.

The 21-year-old playmaker, who caught the eye on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign with a stunning goal at Hartlepool United, made a favourable impression at the Hertfordshire outfit, providing plenty of goals and assists and helping them reach the play-off final, which ended in defeat.

READ MORE: U's snap up promising defender on loan from Championship club

After suffering from injury in the first half of last season, Cooper is another player who will be aiming to hit the ground running as he gets the chance to impress Ben Garner for the first time.

Cooper featured as a late substitute in the U’s opening-day game at Northampton Town last season and will be hoping to be involved again in some capacity when they host Swindon Town in this season’s curtain-raiser, on August 5.

Gazette:

MATT JAY

COLCHESTER fans will be hoping to see the best of Matt Jay this season.

The 27-year-old’s starts were restricted for the U’s in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign, following his arrival from League One side, Exeter City.

Jay started Ben Garner’s first game in charge, the 1-0 defeat to Stockport County on March 11.

READ MORE: U's players past and present pay tribute to 'inspirational' youth coach

But he made only one further starting appearance for Colchester after that and in total, started seven games following his arrival in North Essex.

Jay is an undoubted talent and has proven quality in the final third of the pitch; he will no doubt be striving to be a part of the U’s starting line-up for their opener against Swindon Town on August 5.

Gazette:

JAKE HUTCHINSON

AFTER a string of loan moves away from Florence Park, young striker Jake Hutchinson will be hoping that this is the year that he makes his Colchester United first-team breakthrough.

The 21-year-old spent the final months of last season on loan at National League side Aldershot Town, the highest level of football he has played at so far, in his embryonic career.

Sign up to our free Colchester United newsletter here

Hutchinson has also had positive loan spells at the likes of Eastbourne Borough and Hitchin Town, in addition to impressing for the U’s youth teams.

He has stiff competition in the attacking areas at Colchester but the young forward will be hoping that this is his year to flourish at EFL level.

Gazette:

NICO LAWRENCE

HAVING linked up with his new club in Spain following his arrival on a season-long loan from Championship newcomers Southampton, promising defender Nico Lawrence will be looking to make a positive early impression on his new team-mates and head coach.

The 19-year-old arrives at the U’s with a positive reputation; he is highly regarded by Saints who tied him down to a two-and-a-half year contract in January and shone during his loan spell at Torquay United in the second half of last season.

Lawrence, a composed centre-half comfortable with the ball at his feet, is the kind of player who seemingly fits into Ben Garner’s playing philosophy but has plenty of competition for the available centre-half slots in the U’s starting line-up, ahead of their opener against Swindon Town.