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U's boss Ward to step up search for new striker after Thomas departure

9:28am Monday 2nd August 2010 in


Colchester United will step up their search for a new striker this week following the departure of French forward Joel Thomas.

Thomas has had his U's contract cancelled, after informing them he wanted to leave barely a year after joining them from Scottish Premier League club Hamilton Academical.

His departure has given boss John Ward more scope in his attempts to bolster his forward line.

And after the U's lost 2-1 in their latest pre-season friendly at Aldershot Town on Saturday, manager Ward revealed he intends to step up his quest to strengthen his forward options.

Ward told the Gazette: “Joel wanted to leave the football club and if that's the case, it's best for him to move on.

“With Clive (Platt) leaving as well, which is purely coincidence, it does free up wages to try and get a player in.

“We have had people out looking and I've crossed some names off the list that I can't get.

“We'll continually look at it, whether it be loan or permanent and looking at the chances not taken against Aldershot, we'll probably have to quicken up on it.”

For more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news, see today's Daily Gazette.

Comments(13)

The Enforcer says...
10:19am Mon 2 Aug 10

Thats two donkeys gone in a week! We need two goalscorers to come in right now. Odejayi will be a bit part plaer this year and Gillespie will be in the Physios office all year.

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haggydaggy says...
12:00pm Mon 2 Aug 10

Phone up Cureton today offer him the cash he wants and as far as I am concerned it would be problem over.
We have to learn that good proven strikers cost money!
We have a great squad forming here but we just lack two quality forwards if we could sort this out we would be a solid team then.
The trouble is it has been the same since letting go big Chris and selling Cureton....no one has sorted this problem out!!!

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crazy comments says...
12:28pm Mon 2 Aug 10

Jason Price played for Oldham and Carlisle last season and scored for both teams against us.He was on a free transfer end of season from Millwall but Carlisle have signed him up. A really talented player that can take players on and very good at scoring goals. We had the chances to sign these good players but were blind.

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Surb says...
1:10pm Mon 2 Aug 10

I am now not as confident about Col U as I was 2 weeks ago. What is going on? The friendly results for the last 3 games are RUBBISH! Ward really needs to think about the club now and needs to buy a striker, us fans have been saying that for a year now that we need a striker and nothing has happened. Buy someone decent all I have been hearing recently is Henderson and Vincent scoring...thats great but we need a striker. Up the U's

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Ozzie says...
1:35pm Mon 2 Aug 10

Many of us loyal fans are no longer confident. I know Platt may have been a 'donkey' but his presence will be missed in holding up the ball during attacks. We now need Gillespie to disappear as he is over-rated, shot shy, overpaid and needs a spell on loan elsewhere to make him match fit. He looks like he was unfit and carrying yet another injury at Aldershot on Saturday.I agree with the previous comment and that we should get a tried and trusted striker who knows his way around these leagues, such as Cureton. He would not let us down and would do an excellent job.Come on Mr Ward, please consider a prolific, proven out and out goalscorer. We desperately need one! Up the U's!

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haggydaggy says...
7:28pm Mon 2 Aug 10

I think people look at us and realise that we have no strike force, just looked on the Sky Sports League One page and we are predicted to finish 19th......!
At this moment in time I tend to agree with them.......can the chairman and manager work some magic and sign a top striker........??

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snoswad says...
7:40pm Mon 2 Aug 10

what have we got a youth academy for.

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Feisty CBC says...
6:17am Tue 3 Aug 10

We've all known for months we need a regular goal getter. Bit late now with the start of the season just days away. However, don't think I could stomach turncoat Cureton back at the U's.

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Boris says...
1:14pm Tue 3 Aug 10

Feisty, what is your problem with Jamie Cureton. Turncoat? Did you ever call Lisbie that? He was never committed here, always looking for a better job somewhere else, and fair enough. Are you happy to see us struggling next April to avoid the drop to League 2?
When Cureton and Iwelumo left the U's it was because they had had a season playing in the Championship at League 1 wages, and having scored over 40 goals between them to enable us to finish in the top half of the table, they quite reasonably asked to be paid the rate for the job. CUFC were not prepared to pay them that, so they left.
If Jamie Cureton was available now, Ward should of course be signing him up. He may have slowed down a little bit, but he still has a great record and could score the goals to keep us up and maybe even contend for a play-off place.
Come back Jamie, most of us have forgiven you for trying to advance your career.

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crazy comments says...
2:46pm Tue 3 Aug 10

Feisty CBC wrote:
We've all known for months we need a regular goal getter. Bit late now with the start of the season just days away. However, don't think I could stomach turncoat Cureton back at the U's.
Your normaly on by back,(excuse the pun) but on this one I agree 100% with you Feisty. Why employ somone you is well past their sell by date. We should be building for the future and this would be a backward step.

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Feisty CBC says...
10:53pm Tue 3 Aug 10

Cureton is too fickle Boris. If things don't go his way he throws all of his toys out of his quad bike. I saw him play at Swindon when I was working there and he was bloody awful. Me Swindon pals couldn't believe the improvement in the player when he came to Col. U.
Wasn't too worried about Lisbie coming back because Ipswich were too stoopid to recognise the quality of the player.

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Feisty CBC says...
11:10pm Tue 3 Aug 10

crazy comments wrote:
Feisty CBC wrote: We've all known for months we need a regular goal getter. Bit late now with the start of the season just days away. However, don't think I could stomach turncoat Cureton back at the U's.
Your normaly on by back,(excuse the pun) but on this one I agree 100% with you Feisty. Why employ somone you is well past their sell by date. We should be building for the future and this would be a backward step.
Awww am only joking with you always really Crazy :)
People saying to Cowling...get ya cash out for players that have seen there best are just grabbing at straws. We've all had enough of over payed under performers. The cheque book is curently closed. We don't want to go down the same road as Southend thankyou and if it's a mid-table finish for us , it's another season supporting the mighty U's :)

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crazy comments says...
9:01am Wed 4 Aug 10

Feisty CBC wrote:
crazy comments wrote:
Feisty CBC wrote: We've all known for months we need a regular goal getter. Bit late now with the start of the season just days away. However, don't think I could stomach turncoat Cureton back at the U's.
Your normaly on by back,(excuse the pun) but on this one I agree 100% with you Feisty. Why employ somone you is well past their sell by date. We should be building for the future and this would be a backward step.
Awww am only joking with you always really Crazy :) People saying to Cowling...get ya cash out for players that have seen there best are just grabbing at straws. We've all had enough of over payed under performers. The cheque book is curently closed. We don't want to go down the same road as Southend thankyou and if it's a mid-table finish for us , it's another season supporting the mighty U's :)
Your dead right Feisty.

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