LIAM Bailey says it was a great experience managing Maldon and Tiptree.

The Jammers finished 11th in the Pitching In Isthmian League division north table.

Bailey has now returned to his full-time role coaching in the Colchester United academy, with his U’s colleague Dave Huzzey taking over in the hot seat at Park Drive for next season.

Bailey said: “I took over at Maldon at the beginning of the season.

“It was disappointing that we didn’t get to where we should have but if anybody said to me, did you leave the club in a better place, I think I did.

“We had a loan players like Milton Oni who played around 35 games which was great experience for him, Matt Yates, Frankie Edwards, Hakeem Sandah came towards the end of the season.

“Disappointed that Maldon probably didn’t get to where it should have or maybe deserved to but for me, a great experience to go and manage a great football club and get some competitive football under my belt, moving forward but I’ve got my job here that I can concentrate on and the players at Colchester United.

“So, it was a mixed season but lots of learning, which is good.”

Bailey is hoping the young players leaving Colchester United this summer will go on and have a good career elsewhere after a host of academy players were released.

The likes of Gene Kennedy, Donell Thomas, Harry Beadle, Ronnie Nelson and Ted Collins will all be leaving the JobServe Community Stadium this summer, after being told they would not be offered new contracts by the U’s.

Fellow academy players Ryan Lowe, T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver, Kaan Bennett, Jet Dyer, Kennedy Mupomba, Byan Aman and Matt Yates will also be departing Colchester, following the announcement of their retained/released list.

However, the U’s have offered fresh terms to under-21 players Harrison Chamberlain, Frankie Edwards, Max Jolliffe and Milton Oni.