DANNY Cowley admits Colchester United have had to undergo a ‘system reset’ this summer in their attempts to become a force again in League Two.

It has already been a summer of change at the U’s, with eight new players signed so far and a host of players leaving the JobServe Community Stadium.

Colchester are rebuilding their squad ahead of the forthcoming 2024-25 season, with Cowley admitting they have been aggressive in the transfer market.

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And the U’s head coach says they are planning for what they hope will be an exciting future, after four successive seasons of struggle in the fourth tier.

Cowley said: “Listen, this is a system reset.

“The team has suffered in the last four years.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing time and time again and expecting different results.

“You have to have a system reset, you have to change the personnel – we’ve been pretty aggressive, which is what we’ve needed to be.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

“We didn’t want any scar tissue from what has happened previously.

“I think we’ve made enough change for it to feel really fresh here and feel really different."

Colchester have so far signed Alex Woodyard, Jack Payne, Lyle Taylor, Rob Hunt, JK Gordon, Ben Goodliffe, Harry Anderson and Matt Macey.

Cowley continued: “This is a new Colchester United and I think for us, we’re just super excited for what is to come.

“I suppose when you’re making as much change as we are, it’s not easy because you have so many players to integrate.

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“It’s not just building relationships on the pitch, it’s bringing them together off the pitch, which is the challenge.

“I suppose for Nicky and I, to bring three or four in that we know and we’ve worked with before.

“I don’t think you can ever eliminate the risk in recruitment but certainly you can minimalize it and knowing the boys like we do, knowing their characters and their attributes fit to our game idea, I think we’ll make that transition as smooth as possible.”

Colchester get their League Two season underway with a trip to play AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, August 10.

The U’s play their first friendly of the summer on Saturday when they visit Pitching In Isthmian League division north side Maldon and Tiptree, kick-off 3pm.