Colchester United's quest for Second Division safety has been boosted by news that U's duo Kemal Izzet and Simon Brown have signed new deals with the club.

Colcheste stand just one win away from creating a new chapter of club history.

Victory will ensure a fifth season in the Second Division, a feat the U's have never before achieved since the formation of the old Fourth Division (now Division Three) in 1958-59.

And that great news has been bolstered with news that all-action midfielder Izzet and goalkeeper Brown have both signed new deals.

Izzet - a hero of Saturday's crucial 3-1 win over promotion-chasing Queens Park Rangers - has signed a one-year extension to his current deal.

Brown has signed a new two-year deal. That means both players will remain at Layer Road until 2004.

Izzet said yesterday: "It's great news for me and I was very happy to sign."

Brown added: "It has never been my intention to leave the club and when the manager called me in and said he's seen enough and wanted to keep me for another two years I jumped at the chance."

U's boss Steve Whitton said: "Good young players like these are the future of a club like Colchester United.

"Brown, in particular, is still very young for a keeper and he has all the potential to become really top class in a few years time."

More on Colchester United FC

How do you think Colchester are playing this season? Have your say on our Views on the U's bulletin board

Published Tuesday, March 19, 2002