Jake Kean’s surprise return to parent club Norwich City following his loan at Colchester United was a joint decision between the two parties, according to U’s boss Kevin Keen.

Kean joined Colchester on a 28-day loan from the Canaries at the start of last month and it was thought the agreement would be extended to keep the shot-stopper at the Weston Homes Community Stadium for longer.

But Kean has returned to Carrow Road following the expiry of the loan and Elliott Parish was back between the sticks for Colchester in their 3-0 derby defeat at Southend United, on Saturday.

Colchester boss Keen admitted the goalkeeper was unhappy “with a couple of things” but also stressed that it was also partly his decision to allow him to return to the Premier League side.

Keen said: “It was an agreement between the two of us.

“There were a couple of things that Jake wasn’t happy with, so he’s gone back to Norwich.

“We have Elliott, Dylan (Barnes) and James Bransgrove until the end of the season and I’m sure that they won’t let us down.

“Was it Jake’s decision to go back to Norwich? It was a bit of half and half.”

For five pages of coverage of the U's game at Southend United, see Monday's Daily Gazette.