RYAN Clampin is targeting a return to action for Colchester United before the season is out.

But the 23-year-old says his main focus is on being fully fit for next campaign, following his serious knee injury.

Clampin has already been sidelined for more than three months, after suffering the injury in the U's FA Cup win at AFC Sudbury in early November.

But the attacking left-back is making good progress with his recovery and is hopeful of soon removing his knee brace.

Clampin told the Gazette: "I want to get back before the end of the season for as many games as I can but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.

"As long as I'm back for pre-season fully fit and fully recovered, that's my main focus.

"I want to get at least one game in, before the season ends.

"That's my target, to get some football in this season.

"It's getting a lot better.

"I'm still in the brace unfortunately but I'm hoping to get out of it very soon.

"I'm able to do a lot more in the gym fitness-wise and strength-wise.

"I've lost a lot of muscle mass due to not being able to do anything with it.

"But as soon as I can get my strength back in my quads, then I'm looking to be outside again running and kicking a ball.

"Once the brace comes off, I can really start to kick on."

Gazette:

Clampin has not played since sustaining the injury in the first half of Colchester's 4-0 victory at AFC Sudbury, on November 5.

It was rotten luck for the U's academy product, who had made eight appearances this season prior to the setback.

"The first two months especially were tough, not being able to do hardly anything but I'm slowly getting there," said Clampin.

"It's been a bit of an up and down injury, in terms of timescale.

"The toughest part of it all has been mentally, trying to find the balance between pushing yourself as much as you can to the point where you're not going too far and trying to get back too early.

"Because of the seriousness of the injury, I can't afford to come back early, as much as I want to and then be out again.

Gazette:

"I've sort of had to write off the season in a way, in order to get back fit properly.

"The physios and medical team have been great.

"You do have bad days when you're doing the same thing, all the time.

"It can get tough when you're in the gym all the time when all of your mates are outside playing football.

"But they've helped me a lot to get through it and I'm very thankful for it."

Clampin admits being unable to help Colchester on the field has been difficult, as they battle to pull away from the League Two relegation zone.

During the defender's time on the sidelines, Hayden Mullins has departed as U's head coach and replaced by interim boss, Wayne Brown.

"It's a tough one when you can't affect anything that's going on around you," said Clampin, who has made nearly 50 appearances for the U's since making his senior debut for them in September, 2018.

"But I feel like we've come on a lot of late and we're just getting started really.

Gazette:

"We're not playing badly and the games we're winning, we deserve to win and the games where we're just missing out on, we've been unlucky in.

"I'd rather be in that situation than scraping wins and not really playing well, so there's a lot of confidence around the group at the minute.

"The gaffer (Wayne Brown) has asked me how I've been getting on and said not to rush anything, to make sure I'm back fit.

"Everyone around has been very supportive, more on a personal level than a football one.

"I think everyone in football understands how long-term injuries can have an effect on you, not just physically.

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"But I do appreciate all of the support from the club and the fans - it does help me a lot."

Clampin has been a regular at the JobServe Community Stadium since suffering the injury. He added: "I go to all of the home games.

"It's good to sit back and watch sometimes and get a different perspective of the game.

"It makes you just want to get out there and it's always good to learn off other people."