Colchester United can benefit from Northern Gateway impact

The landscape immediately surrounding the JobServe Community Stadium is changing dramatically, with the emergence of the Northern Gateway Leisure Park, along with the future addition of the likes of a hotel, bowling alley, indoor golf centre and several restaurants.

The huge development, which spans 200,000 sq ft, is expected to be complete in the Autumn, altering the immediate environment around the U's stadium, which has been their home since 2008.

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And Mr Waddington is hoping that the U’s presence at the heart of the infrastructure can only be a good thing for the profile of the club.

He said: “There’s so much gone on in this part of Colchester and we’ve got to celebrate it.

“For years, we’ve been hoping stuff is going to get underway and start happening and now it is, so let’s celebrate it, embrace it and make it work.

“I can see a lot of positives about us being in the infrastructure in Colchester, rather than on the outskirts of it.

“I’m hoping that finally that means that we’ll see some bus infrastructure.

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“We need fans to be able to get up here, other than the Park and Ride.

“We’ve got great car parking facilities but if we can make it easier for people to get up here, then it’s got to be of benefit.

“I think the cinema and bowling complex and restaurants will mean more people seeing who we are and where we are and I see that as a positive.

“There’s going to be some negatives around matchday I think and some challenges but between us and them, I think we can work it out and there are other positives we can take from the environment changing.

“What we’ve been quite good at as a club in the past is adapting and learning how to live within a changing landscape.

“I think there’s so much good stuff going on in the city of Colchester, we’ve got to celebrating it and this Northern Gateway quarter is a really great chance to do that.”

“The rugby club is doing great, the football club is doing great, what’s going up around is great and the housing on our doorstep has to be an opportunity for us to bring fans in and start the new chapter.”

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Mr Waddington feels Ben Garner’s attacking brand of football is something Colchester fans can really get behind, this season.

The U’s chalked up their first win in style last weekend when they won 3-0 at Gillingham, playing some silky football along the way.

He said: “You could see from the back end of last season what we’re trying to do and what Ben is trying to do.

“Ben is very driven and he’s very precise and professional in what he does.

“I think fans have reacted well to that and players have reacted well to that.

“It looks positive and I think fans are reflecting that upbeat energy, around the club.

“Last time I looked, ticket sales were around ten to 12 per cent up, which is superb.

“It tells me that there’s a buzz and a positivity around the place, which can only be good going forward.

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“Let’s hit the ground running and give the fans something to really get behind.

“The fans were spectacular in the back end of last season.

“The positivity from the fans was just unbelievable and the right kind of numbers were there.

“We’re seeing the families, we’re seeing the South Stand full, the BWA are being loud and colourful and just superb, in their support.

“Let’s give the fans something to really get behind, this season and fingers crossed, we’ll have a good one.

“Let’s put an entertaining brand of football together and that’s absolutely what Ben is all about – it’s playing football the way that football should be played.

“Get that right and we know it’ll work.

“Fingers crossed, everything lines up, all the pieces pull together and we have a good season.”