New Colchester United manager John Ward feels the U's are a club that need to be nuturing local talent through into the senior ranks.

In the week when the club announced that it is holding talent days next month - when it will be looking to recruit young players into the Centre of Excellence - Ward said he wants to see a progression of players from the youth team.

Ward said: "We want to nurture those boys through and I really believe that if they are ready then they are old enough.

“When I was in charge at Bristol Rovers, I gave eight debuts to local boys in three years.

“If the boys have the talent and the ability to deal with it, then I will put them in there and give them a go.

“A club like Colchester should be nurturing its youth players.”