COLCHESTER United are hoping giant banners at the JobServe Community Stadium will help keep the ball in play more – and boost their chances of home success.

Three big signs have recently gone up behind the goal in the North Stand at the venue advertising JobServe, the club’s main stadium and kit sponsor co-founded by U’s chairman Robbie Cowling.

The stand has been rarely occupied over recent times, with away fans now commonly situated in the adjacent East Stand at the venue.

And with it being empty, it has meant plenty of vital time wasted during matches as footballs are collected.

Colchester are preparing for crucial back-to-back home games in League Two against Newport County and Forest Green Rovers.

And boss John McGreal and his side are keen for the ball to be kept on the pitch as much as possible, as they push for a League Two play-off spot.

Speaking at the recent Fans Forum, chairman Cowling said the banners have a double advantage.

He said: “We’ve now got three great big banners behind the goal.

“It’s for two reasons – one it promotes my business JobServe which I’m extremely happy about but the other thing is we’d like to keep the ball in play more at home.

“We believe being at home is an advantage and the more minutes the ball is on the pitch should be in our favour.

“The idea of it is to stop the ball taking so long to come back from that stand, so let’s hope it works.”

Meanwhile, Cowling has said that Colchester’s goals at the Community Stadium will not be marked by music being blasted out any time soon.

Some clubs play goal celebration songs over their sound system when they score but that will not be happening at the U’s.

“It’s a personal thing – I don’t like goal music,” said Cowling.

“I just think a goal is such a big thing in football and fans should be able to celebrate it without the help of a song in the background.

“It’s something that you can perhaps blame me for.

“I never feel that when we score that anything is missing.”