Colchester United defender Luke Chambers returning to Ipswich Town

The 36-year-old defender played nearly 400 times for the Blues and is ninth in the club's all-time appearances list.

Chambers is set to skipper Colchester at Portman Road tonight, as the two clubs go head to head in the Carabao Cup.

And the experienced defender says he still takes a keen interest in what his former club are doing, after leaving them for the U's last summer.

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Life’s a Pitch programme, Chambers said: "I think it'll be a decent local game.

"There are two clubs who have got their own agendas, their own plans and aspirations for the season.

"It'll just be one of the back stories of the game, where a few of us have played there before and we'll be coming back.

"We had the cup game last year so it was obviously a quick turnaround for myself.

"The time has gone by in a flash for me over the last year.

"I'll be absolutely delighted to come back and I'm really looking forward to it, to see some familiar faces and a lot of new faces now.

"It's a completely different look of a football club from the one that I left.

"It would have been nice to have left with a full stadium and the support I always received there.

"But that wasn't to be and it was sort of out of my control.

"I was there throughout last season for a few of the games and it's going to be my club moving forward, for the rest of my days.

"At the moment, my allegiances lie where I am trying to win games of football for Colchester.

"But I'll always keep an eye on what's going on at Ipswich, because that's where I spent the majority of my football career."

Chambers says he is aiming to help Colchester improve on their showing last season.

The U's are looking to build on their 15th-place finish in the 2021-22 League Two campaign.

"Everyone says look at the league table after ten games but they're all cliches at the end of the day," said Chambers, who has made more than 50 league and cup appearances for the U's.

"You know what you're doing right and you know what you're doing wrong.

"It's something that you can always work on and always try and improve and take forward, into the next game.

"That's what we're looking to do.

"Every team has got their plans of being right up there for the season and we'll be no different to anyone else.

"We finished the season under Wayne Brown really, really strongly and in 22 games, we were right up there in terms of form.

"We've kept the majority of the squad together and we know what we're good at and what our strengths are."

Chambers has made nearly 800 league and cup appearances during a successful playing career.

The former Nottinham Forest centre-back says he is feeling fitter than ever.

Chambers added: "I try and be as fit as I can because at the end of the day, there's always people trying to take your place.

"I didn't want to finish after leaving Ipswich and made the decision to carry on playing.

"I played 50 games last year for Colchester and I feel as fit as ever.

"I may not be as quick as I used to be but until I'm not giving a positive effect on a team or club that I'm involved in, then that's when I'll consider what I'm going to do next.

"But I feel in great shape and I'm looking forward to a long season again."