RYAN Clampin has had to wait patiently for his opportunity in Colchester United’s starting line-up, this season.

And now that it has finally arrived, the young U’s left-back is determined to grab it with both hands.

Clampin’s hopes for the 2020-21 campaign were dealt an untimely blow when he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Colchester’s final pre-season friendly of the summer.

It meant the 21-year-old missed the opening weeks of the League Two campaign under newly-appointed boss, Steve Ball.

However, Clampin returned to first-team action last month and has started the U’s last two league games, with Cohen Bramall currently sidelined through injury.

And now that he has the shirt, the Colchester-born defender, who is out of contract next summer, says he is not ready to relinquish it in a hurry.

Clampin said: “I know that if I slack in any game, I have a great chance of getting dropped and that’s not what I want at the minute.

“I want to keep my shirt and keep playing for as long as possible and hopefully I can do that.

“I have massive ambitions for 2021.

“I’m just hoping I can take the opportunities that I’m given and take them.

“It’s been a long time for me and a frustrating year but I’m glad to start getting my opportunities.

“It’s good to be back on the football pitch.

“Injuries haven’t helped because it’s meant being constantly on the back foot, trying to get back into the squad.

“When you’re back fit but you’re not getting anywhere and you’re just playing for the 23s, it’s just not the same.

“I’m excited to just be back out on the football pitch – that’s what gets me through it.

“I worked hard in the gym to try and get back as soon as I could, knowing that this is obviously my last year and I’ve got a lot to prove.

“Now that I’m finally back in, I just want to try and keep it for as long as possible.

“It’s frustrating to wait for your opportunity but I’m just glad it’s come.”

When Clampin injured his knee in pre-season, it had first been feared he had suffered a tear which would have ruled the U’s academy product out for the entire season.

“It looked like the injury was going to be a lot worse than it was so if anything I’m just glad to be back,” said Clampin, who made his senior U’s debut in September, 2018.

“Getting injured in pre-season is probably one of the worst times it can happen, to be fair.

“It happened in the last pre-season game of this year and this season, I wanted to kick on from the get go so to have that sort of setback was frustrating.

“You’re never going to get fully fit unless you play games and in the first game back, I was feeling a bit leggy and a bit out of breath.

“But some players might be tiring having played all season whereas I’ve just come back and I’m fresh, so now I feel I can push on.”

Colchester will be hoping to start 2021 on a winning note when they host Tranmere Rovers, on Saturday.

The U’s are without a win in five matches but Clampin believes their 0-0 draw with Cheltenham Town offers than a good base from which to build.

He added: “All teams have those spells but I feel like we’re a good group.

“We’ve got a lot of good, quality players which shouldn’t be in this division anyway – we’ll get there eventually.

“We have to be professional and focus on the next game because we know that we’re good enough to get out of this league.

“The draw against Cheltenham was a step in the right direction.”