COLCHESTER United boss Tony Humes says he and his players have had clear-the-air talks this week.

And he hopes the frank exchanges pay dividends in tomorrow’s League One trip to Oldham Athletic.

The U’s boss admitted that words had been said in the dressing room after Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat at Sheffield United.

But far from being negative, he feels it is healthy to have clear, open lines of communication.

“In modern-day life, people don’t speak enough and that’s something we’re trying to encourage,” he said.

“Whether it be because something hasn’t worked well or because we want to make things better, people need to take more ownership and responsibility for everything.

“Everybody is encouraged to speak all the time and that’s the type of environment we want.

“We want people to have their say because the more people that participate and give their opinions, the easier it is to take the information and dissect it."

For the full story and more U's news, see Friday's Gazette.