IT'S football folks, but not as we know it.

The U’s are back in action, playing in empty stadiums for the time being of course, but it’s certainly not the same without us.

Personally, the enjoyment and buzz that I get out of football, all stems from being able to watch it live, open to the elements, with my mates and having a full view of the pitch.

That’s football for me, and I’m sure that I am not alone.

My utopia will return one day and it will largely be thanks to the U’s chairman Robbie Cowling for all of his excellent and hand on heart statements these last few months.

Fully appreciate that things can change at any time just as soon as the Government clicks their fingers, but for those that are able to and want to, it will be “hats off” to the huge amount of work that the U’s have put in to make it happen.

They need the income and football fans needs to be able to watch and support their team again.

Sadly there will be no League Cup income or bragging rights this season after the U’s bowed out at Reading last Saturday.

We looked sharp and hungry in the first half, but Reading found a new box of gears in the second half and our lads just could not get the ball of them at times.

Their hat-trick man looked like the sort of player we could do with to be honest.

Creating goal scoring chances and putting them away will be what I am looking for from the U’s during these early games, and whilst I am sure Jevani Brown and Luke Norris can do a job, I am looking forward to seeing what our young Fulham loanee can do with a run of games.

As I have said already, football on a screen is not my thing. Not helped when the local radio commentary was so much of a tough listen that “mute” was applied quite early on.

It would have been nice if more than five seconds of homework had been done to learn some of our players names, and perhaps more importantly, realise that John McGreal was no longer our manager!

A tough start for Steve Ball and Hayden Mullins, and it will be certainly not be any easier at Bradford this weekend.

Early days though and I am looking forward to seeing how their stamp on our football takes shape. Good luck to them both, and to all of our players this season.

I hope you are all keeping safe and secure, and I look forward to seeing some of you in your “bubbles” up at the U’s real soon.

Colchester United Supporters Association chairman Jon Burns