NEW signing Danny Batth is eager to make a big impression at Colchester United.

And the young Wolverhampton Wanderers defender was boosted by the words of a former U’s player before heading to north Essex.

Batth sought the advice of ex-Colchester favourite George Elokobi, prior to making the one-month loan switch to Colchester.

Elokobi - currently plying his trade with Wolves in the Premier League along with fellow former Colchester stars Greg Halford and Chris Iwelumo - was highly complimentary about his former club.

Now Batth is looking forward to having his own successful time with the U’s.

Batth told the Gazette: “I managed to chat to George on my way out.

“He said Colchester is a good place to play football and that there are some great people there.

“It definitely feels like it’s a team on the up.

“I trained on Thursday morning and it was a good opportunity to get to know and talk to the lads.

“I met the manager (Aidy Boothroyd) and he told me where he saw the club going.”

Batth - who celebrates his 19th birthday on Monday - has spent all of his footballing life at Wolves.

He has progressed through the Academy at Molineux and has been a key player for them at both reserve and youth-team level, over recent seasons.

Now the tall central defender is hoping to put his experience at Wolves to good use with the U’s.

He will provide competition for places in defence, with the likes of Pat Baldwin, Paul Reid and Lee Beevers all injured.

“When I spoke to the manager (Mick McCarthy), he said that Colchester were interested in signing me,” added Batth, who is hoping to figure tomorrow when Colchester play host to Hartlepool United in Boothroyd’s first home game in charge.

“He said it would be a really good move and it’s a good challenge for me.

“I want to be on my toes and I hope that it will improve me as a player.

“My objective is to get match experience.

“It’s a chance to put all of the things that I’ve worked hard on to good use and I just want to push on.”