CLIVE Platt today spoke of his burning desire to help Colchester United stay in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Like the U's, the lofty striker had to wait patiently before having a crack at playing in the second tier of English football.

The 30-year-old has spent the majority of his professional career in the lower leagues with the likes of MK Dons, Peterborough United and Rochdale.

However, his goals prompted U's boss Geraint Williams to make the forward the club's record signing last summer.

And ahead of tomorrow's final visit of former Uefa Cup finalists Wolverhampton Wanderers to Layer Road, Platt is not prepared to relinquish his or Colchester's Championship status lightly.

He told the Gazette: "It's a big thing for me.

"I came up to the Championship this season and I would love to stay there next season with Colchester.

"We know we should be competing in this division.

"It's a very tight league. We've beaten teams at the top of the Championship and we feel the only real difference between us and them is consistency."

Wolverhampton-born Platt feels it is imperative that Colchester get back to winning ways against Mick McCarthy's side tomorrow.

"If we're going to have any chance tomorrow, we have to forget that setback and bounce back straight away," said Platt, who grew up watching Wolves from the Molineux terraces.

"Everyone was so down after the Bristol City game, mainly because of the result but also because it was ten or 12 minutes where we lost the plot.

"Other than that, we played well and we could have won the game.

"I really believe things are coming together and we're so close to getting things right.

"All of the lads feel that it's silly mistakes and a lack of concentration that have cost us points this season."