FRANK Nouble believes Colchester United can benefit from a reverse second season syndrome and be a force in League Two next season.

The U’s spent much of the previous campaign in the lower reaches of League Two and battled against the drop, prior to Wayne Brown steering them to a strong finish.

The vast majority of Colchester’s squad will remain the same for the forthcoming 2022-23 season, with a host of experienced players remaining with the club.

Nouble is back from his loan spell at Leyton Orient and insists the upcoming campaign can be a much more productive one for the club

He said: “A lot of the boys in the squad have played a lot of games and experienced a lot of stuff, in football.

“Second season syndrome should kick in in a more positive way, compared to a team that’s maybe been flying the first year and then been on a downer, in the second year.

“We’ve experienced a lot together this year as a group and bodies have come in and gone out but I think the core of the squad is still there.

“Hopefully, we can use our experience of last year and just put it right really.

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“Seeing teams playing in the play-offs was a bit frustrating to watch, because we’re looking at it thinking 'they’re not that much better than us'.

“I think that’s the difference between League One and League Two.

"All of the teams are of a pretty similar level but it’s that team spirit, that bond that can get you through games and be enough to help you do well.”

Nouble featured 19 times for Colchester under Hayden Mullins in the opening months of last season, more often than not in the number nine role.

But the 30-year-old then suffered a knee injury which sidelined him for nearly two months.

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He then found himself out of the U’s starting line-up, leading to him joining Leyton Orient on loan in January.

Nouble insists he always felt the U’s would pull away from the League Two trapdoor.

“If I’m totally honest, I never thought Colchester would be relegated,” added Nouble.

“There were too many worse teams and I was confident we would survive.

“It was a worrying time around January but the boys did really well, in the second half of the season and picked up some good victories.”