COLCHESTER United's new signings will help them create the right environment at the club, this season.

That is the view of U's head coach Hayden Mullins, who believes their recent additions will allow them to set high standards, particularly for their young players.

Colchester have brought in a host of established players this summer, with Freddie Sears, Luke Chambers and Cole Skuse - who have made nearly 1,800 career appearances between them - arriving from Ipswich Town.

And with more experience set to be added to the U's squad in the coming days, Mullins says that will enable them to establish exactly the surroundings they are aiming for.

Mullins told Col U TV: "The environment is what we want to build.

"We want to build the right environment and the younger players stepping up into that first team have got to grow into it.

"We want to build a very good culture for the lads training day in, day out.

"We want to set the standards to where the young lads have got to reach and those boys will bring that and help towards that.

"The new signings we've made will help the young players with their experience and also, they play games.

"We're not getting players who haven't played games.

"They've played a number of games in their career and they're showing no signs of showing down, on the pitch.

"They bring a lot off it as well with their experience and will help us create that environment we want, this season."

Gazette:

Three of Colchester's talented youngsters signed professional contracts with the club, earlier this month.

Billy Cracknell, Sam Cornish and Harry Beadle have all penned one-year deals, with the U's.

Mullins said: "The work starts here for them and that's the message we'll be sending.

"The work definitely has ended - it's started for them.

"We spoke about the environment and what we're trying to create here, with the first team.

"For those boys, their first challenge is to try and break into that and try and get there and train with us every day. "They're young players but good players who have earned their contracts.

"We've seen them all play a number of times and they've all got their own different qualities.

"It's down to them now to try and get themselves into the first-team squad and try and cement a pathway for themselves, similar to Noah (Chilvers) and what he's done.

"Noah was fantastic, last season and that shows in his awards.

"Poku had a bit of an up and down season but there's still loads to come from Kwame.

"Brendan (Wiredu) had a terrific end to the season as well and Shamal George was fantastic as well, so the lads have proven in the first team that they can do it and these boys have now been given their chance."