Striker Steven Gillespie has signed the new contract that Colchester United fans were hoping for.

Gillespie, whose previous contract was due to run out this summer, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal that will keep him at the Weston Homes Community Stadium until 2013.

And the club have also announced that Gillespie will swap his squad number for next year and wear the number nine shirt for the 2011/12 season.

Gillespie became the U’s record signing when he joined from Cheltenham Town for £400,000 in July 2008 and has become a firm fans’ favourite despite much of his three years at the club being punctuated by injury.

An ankle problem kept him out of the start of the 2010/11 campaign, but he returned to form with some important goals in the latter part of the season, ending with nine from 19 appearances.

However, Gillespie’s involvement was cut short by a fall at Brentford at the end of April when he suffered a broken arm and shattered wrist that has since required surgery to pin it.

Manager John Ward said the operation wouldn’t mean that Gillespie would miss any pre-season action, though.

Gillespie was recently named the Hospital Radio Community Player-of-the-Year at the U’s annual awards night for the work that he has done off the pitch this year.

And he will be hoping to add to his 14 goals for the club with a new number on his back next season.

The last player to have number nine on his shirt was Clive Platt, before his transfer to Coventry City last summer.