A NEW Colchester United.

Danny Cowley says he is feeling excited as he prepares to lead his new-look U’s side into battle in League Two.

It has been a summer of change at the JobServe Community Stadium, with 11 new signings arriving and eight contracted first-team players departing, along with a number of loanees.

READ MORE: Conor Wilkinson set to leave U's after pre-season absence

Colchester are aiming to challenge at the right end of the table, after four successive seasons of struggle.

And ahead of their curtain-raiser at AFC Wimbledon in front of more than 1,000 U’s fans tomorrow, boss Cowley cannot wait to get started.

Cowley said: “I think for us, there’s just excitement – that’s what we see.

“This is new beginnings, this is a new Colchester United.

“We’re not going to shout from the rooftops about what we want to achieve; I don’t think that is necessary.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

“We are determined, we are really focused, we’ve got a lot of players that like to win, that want to win, that expect to win.

“Nicky and I are used to winning; our lives are a lot better when we do win.

“We always like the goals that are process orientated, because this is what we can really control and the idea of waking up every morning, trying to get better and trying to be better than yesterday.

“I really like this as a goal and I think that’s what we’ve tried to instil, into the players and what we’re trying to move towards.”

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Cowley spent seven years at the Dons as a young player, from the age of nine to 16 years old.

"It's a great club, I think it's a really special club," added the U's boss.

"I was so sad to see what happened to them and for them to come back the way they have and through the divisions and back in the Football League has been amazing.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

"It's one of the great stories of modern-day English football, as far as I'm concerned.

"It's always a club that will have a special place in our thoughts.

"But on Saturday, it's our first game of the season and we're determined to put a really good performance in and get a positive result.

"There's some former Wimbledon players in our squad and some former Colchester players in theirs and I think it always adds to the narrative - it adds to the excitement."