COLCHESTER United head coach Wayne Brown expects League Two to be a more competitive division, next season.

The divisional line-up for the 2022-23 campaign will be completed this weekend, with all but one of the promotion and relegation issues now decided.

Solihull Moors take on Grimsby Town in the National League Play-Off Final at the London Stadium tomorrow, with a place in the EFL at stake.

The winners will join National League champions Stockport County in League Two, next season.

Gillingham, Doncaster Rovers, AFC Wimbledon and Crewe Alexandra will also be in the fourth tier, having been relegated from League One.

Colchester finished the 2021-22 season in 15th place after a strong finish, 17 points above the relegation zone.

Brown is predicting a competitive division - but is excited about the challenge of moving the club up the league.

Brown said: “If you look at the teams that are coming down from division one and Stockport coming up from the National League plus either Solihull or Grimsby, who are two good teams, there’s good competition.

“I think those teams will add and strengthen the league and make it more competitive along with the teams who are already in the division, who are probably going to strengthen.

“It’ll be good, it’ll be an exciting challenge.

“It’s one that we’re all excited about fully committing to and give 100 per cent to, to try and get the club up the league – that’s the aim."

Gazette:

Colchester will welcome his players back to Florence Park for pre-season training on June 20.

The U's will discover their fixtures for the new League Two season on Thursday, June 23.

The opening day of the new League Two season will be Saturday, July 30, a week earlier than normal.

Colchester have been busy organising their pre-season friendly schedule, ahead of the new campaign.

The U's will host Southend United on July 19 and will also face Bath City, Maldon and Tiptree and Heybridge Swifts in pre-season, with more friendly dates set to be announced.

Brown added: “It’s been quite hard to get the fixtures that we want and we need for the lads to go into the new season.

“But we’re nearly there and it’s still ongoing, to finalise a couple."