Sam Walker says he has been “humbled” by the positive reaction to his decision to sign for Colchester United.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper has joined the U’s on an 18-month deal from Chelsea, following two successful six-month loan spells with the League One club.

And after being inundated by messages of goodwill by U’s fans, Walker revealed he has been bowled over by the reaction.

Walker said: “The response has taken me aback and Twitter was going mad after the announcement was made.

“I didn’t expect the response I got and it was a really humbling feeling to know that it was so well received.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with the Colchester fans and it’s very exciting to be a player there at the moment.

“For the first time since I’ve been here, we’re now able to look up rather than down and we’re starting to get a bit of momentum.

“We’ve cracked the top half and now we’ll try and crack the top ten and just keep moving up.

“If we can stay in and around that top half until March and keep pushing on then who knows what might happen?

“We’re a young side and I think that we’re slowly developing as a team.

“But we’re not going to take our foot off the gas and it’ll be a case of us carrying on the hard work.”

Walker has ended his spell at Chelsea, where he was a member of their successful 2010 FA Youth Cup-winning side.

The 6ft 6in keeper has left without having made a senior appearance for the Blues but he insists his time at Stamford Bridge was productive.

“I’d been at Chelsea for a while but I don’t have any regrets,” said Walker, who has been an ever-present for the U’s this season.

“I look back on my time there with great pride and I have great memories there.

“I’ve made some lifelong friends there and I’ve really enjoyed working and playing at the club.

“The experience I had at Chelsea will live with me for ever.

“I went there as a youngster who was quite raw and there was a lot of work to do.

“I owe a lot to the goalkeeper coach Mark Beeney and all of the guys at the Academy for getting me to the level that I am today.

“But the time was right for me for a change in my career and I haven’t really been there for the last few years because of my loan moves.

“I think both parties just felt that I’d been at Colchester for a year in total and it seemed silly to change that.”

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