COLCHESTER United skipper Luke Prosser is hoping for an injury-free season and hungry to make up for lost time after spending more than a year on the sidelines.

A long-term knee problem that required surgery meant the defender was a spectator during last summer’s preparations.

He was absent for 14 months in total, having suffered the injury three months into his first season with the club, and did not return to first-team action until January.

Now, having been a key figure in Colchester’s pre-season preparations, he is itching to get going ahead of Saturday’s League Two curtain-raiser at Notts County.

“It’s been a good few weeks in pre-season,” said Prosser, who was in the starting line-up as the U’s played their final friendly against Gillingham on Saturday, running out emphatic 5-1 winners at the JobServe Community Stadium.

“We’ve got a young and fit bunch of lads - it keeps the likes of me on my toes!

“Last year, I was standing on the sidelines watching in pre-season so it’s been brilliant to be out there and I feel fantastic - the best my knee has felt.

“I was surprised coming back to pre-season as I thought getting going again might be tough but over the last few weeks, I’ve felt really good.

“You get a good break and you can’t grumble about pre-season.

“You could be much worse off and we’re extremely lucky, so it’s all good.”

Prosser signed a new two-year contract with Colchester in June, having first joined the club two years after being released by Essex rivals Southend.

And he is hopeful of a better season for the club, who finished 13th in last season’s League Two campaign.

Their faint play-off hopes disappeared when they picked up just one point from their final five games.

“It was always my aim to stay and I’m buzzing to be back,” said the 30-year-old.

“We’ve made some good additions this summer and it should be a good year hopefully.

“I want to win things and the gaffer and Bally (assistant boss Steve Ball) are exactly the same.

“We’ve made some good signings and keeping the likes of myself and Jacko (Ryan Jackson) and people like that, hopefully we can do a lot better than we did last year.

“I’m 30 years old now so I need a little bit more maintenance after games but I feel good and hopefully with the more games I play, the stronger I’ll get.

“It was hard in my first year with my injury.

“But the gaffer and Bally always made me feel welcome and made me club captain.

“I’ve always felt wanted here and I get on really well with the gaffer and Bally.

“I want to repay everyone for putting their trust in me and keeping me at the club, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Colchester hit the road next weekend for a opening-day fixture against the Magpies.

“As soon as we saw our first game, all of the boys were buzzing,” added Prosser.

“I don’t think we beat them last year but they’ll know how well we did against them in the two games and how far we pushed them.

“I think they’ll be a little bit nervous about that fixture but we can’t wait.

“We’ve got a good squad and everyone will be fighting for that starting XI, come the first day of the season.”