PAT Baldwin played his part in arguably the most successful period in Colchester United’s history.

But the former centre-back admits the experience of helping the U’s clinch promotion to the Championship under Phil Parkinson in 2006 and then subsequently achieve their highest-ever finish the following year is now something of a blur.

“My time at Colchester now seems like a long time ago,” said Baldwin, who was regular in Geraint Williams’ side that finished tenth in the Championship back in 2007.

“I don’t whether I’ve headed so many balls in my career but I literally can’t really remember much about it!

“It seems like a different kind of life and so long ago but the bits I do remember are amazing.

“When you’re playing, you don’t really think about it.

“But now I’m retired with the time to look back on my career, I was never one to be looking at myself with pride.

“I never allowed myself to do that – I was always looking to the next challenge.

“But I can look back on it and be proud of what we achieved, in that period.

“Phil (Parkinson) has done really well.

“He’s really hard working, dedicated and ambitious.

“I probably played arguably my best football of my career under him.

“It’s great to see that he’s doing well and I follow all of the players and managers I worked with.

“We were playing at the highest level that Colchester had ever played at and being a part of that is something I’m very proud of.

“We have a group chat on WhatsApp with all of the players from back then and the good thing is that we all keep in touch still on a regular basis.

“It would be really nice to go back there, as I’ve not been back to Colchester’s ground since I left there.

“One day, it would be nice to be invited back to celebrate those years – I’ll wait for that phone call!”

Baldwin made nearly 250 league and cup appearances for Colchester during a period spanning almost a decade, after joining them on a free transfer from Chelsea in 2002.

The 35-year-old, who was nicknamed Rio by U’s fans owing to his resemblance to Rio Ferdinand’s playing style, played under a host of different managers before eventually leaving them for Essex rivals Southend United, in January, 2012.

“Colchester’s results are the first ones that I look for,” said Baldwin, who was Colchester’s 2004-05 Player of the Year.

“You look at the team list and over the years, there are less and less player names that I recognise.

“But it’s good to see that John (McGreal) is still in charge and he’s a really decent human being.

“It’s good to see him still doing well and I think they should really be doing better as a club.

“It’s a great club with great infrastructure in place there.

“He’s stabilised the club really well and given youth a chance still, which is good to see.

“Colchester play the right way and as players, that’s how you want to play growing up.”

Baldwin hung up his boots two years ago, following a three-year spell at Exeter City and then a brief stint at Weymouth.

He has settled in Devon with his young family working as a primary school teacher – and insists he does not miss playing football.

“Physically, my body is shot to shreds now,” added Baldwin, who was at St James Park last weekend to see two of his former clubs do battle on the final day of the League Two season.

“I miss being around football and the day to day aspect of the football environment.

“But that’s life – you have to move on and thankfully, I’ve done that and I’m really enjoying my life.

“I live in a quiet little fishing village in a lovely community which is ideal with my family in a beautiful place.

“I don’t really miss Essex much although I do have family back there, so I go back regularly – perhaps not as regularly as my mum would hope!

“It was never the intention to stay down here – it was always going to be for a couple of years, at most.

“I only signed a two-year deal at Exeter which is an amazing family run-club.

“They’ve got everything in place but never in a million years did I think I’d settle, down here.

“I did a day trip to where we live now, fell in love with it and bought the house the next day, so the rest is history, I guess.”