FORMER Colchester United striker Jamie Guy is joining Kem Izzet’s Stanway Rovers.

The experienced front man has been brought in both to score goals and also to help develop the club’s young players.

U’s legend Izzet is keen to promote youth and nurture the club’s best young players.

However, he also believes it is vital to have a “backbone” of senior players, which is why he was so keen to lure Guy to The Hawthorns.

“Jamie’s a really big signing for us and I’m delighted he’s agreed to join,” said Izzet.

“I know him as well as most and, as a player, he’s still got so much to offer.

“If he comes in with a willingness to work hard - which he’s assured me he will - he’ll be a really good player for us.

“He’ll score a lot of goals at this level.

“He’ll also bring lots of experience to the squad and I really want him to help, in terms of bringing young centre-forwards through.

“That’s a role he’s very keen to take up, which is encouraging, and I’m a big believer in senior players helping younger lads in their position.

“Their advice is key and while I’m very keen to promote young players, it’s vital you have older heads out there too.

“You can’t go out there with an entire team of 16 to 18-year-olds. It wouldn’t be fair on them.

“You need a backbone of experienced players and then you can put the younger lads around them.”

Guy played for Colchester between 2004 and 2010 and also spent time at Braintree Town - where he won promotion in his first season - in addition to a host of non-league clubs including Maldon and Tiptree, Heybridge Swifts and Witham Town.

Izzet admits it is a period of “total transition” at Stanway.

Only a handful of last season’s senior players have been asked to stay on, including the likes of Adam Reakes, Ben Lampon, Joe Heron, Jordan Blackwell, Romario Dunne and Joe Fowler.

The nucleus of his squad will be young players, although a handful of other players have been in touch and asked if they can come to pre-season training, which starts next Tuesday.

“I’ve spoken to a few players we want to keep from last year but it’s going to be a very transitional time,” added Izzet.

“I’ve also spoken to a few who have said they’re going to come over “It’s exciting and I think a lot will become clearer next week, when we’re all back together again.

“Then we can start looking at players and making decisions.

“These are all lads I know and trust but at the moment it’s just a verbal thing.

“My focus will obviously be different this year, because I’m going to be manager as well as playing.

“I need to make sure things are in place and that sessions go well, rather than just concentrating on my own fitness.

“That’s something I’m really looking forward to it and I want to make things as professional as possible, to give the players the best opportunity to be the best they can be.

“Hopefully it will be a hungry bunch.”

Izzet is still on the lookout for a new centre-half and also wants to appoint a goalkeeping coach.

Stanway’s pre-season campaign begins with a match against Stanway Athletic, at Stanway School, on June 24.

Their other summer opponents include FC Clacton (July 1), Needham Market Reserves (July 8), Maldon and Tiptree (July 11), Holland FC (July 15), Colchester’s under-18s (July 18) and Whitton United (July 22).

Elsewhere, Jamie Baker walked away with a hat-trick of prizes at Wivenhoe Town’s club presentation night on Saturday evening.

The midfielder was named players’ player-of-the-year, supporters’ player-of-the-year and manager’s player-of-the-year.

Adam Hampson finished as top scorer.

Joe McCracken was reserves’ player-of-the-year while Joel Shurvington was the reserves’ manager’s player-of-the-year.

Ollie O’Hare finished as top scorer for the club’s second string.

Billy Latto was young player-of-the-year.