HAYDEN Mullins believes pre-season will be an important period for Colchester United in their preparations for the new League Two season.

The U’s squad reports back for duty in Tiptree today, with the players taking part in fitness testing over the next two days before they begin their full training programme at Florence Park, next week.

There has been plenty of change at Colchester during the off season, with Mullins taking over permanently as head coach and the club signing six new players, with plenty of last season’s squad departing.

And as he prepares to embark on his first full season as the U’s full-time boss, Mullins says he is looking forward to getting started.

Mullins said: “Pre-season is an important time for us to get our ideas across to the boys and what we want to do, this season.

“Like a lot of people say with the fixtures and the training programme, it's a training programme to try and get ready for the season.

“We want to win the games we play in pre-season obviously but there will be a lot of things that we’ll be looking at, in the games.

“It’s a really good chance for us to get across what we want to do.

“It’ll be fantastic and we’ve got some really good games in there as well.

“There’s the likes of Watford at their training ground, Ipswich, Gillingham, Ebbsfleet and Billericay so there’s a really good mix, which is really good.

“There’s some very good tests in there for us and some tough tests, which is what you want for the players and to try and stretch them physically as well against good players.”

Gazette:

Colchester’s six summer signings will all be reporting for duty for the first time, this week.

Frank Nouble, Alan Judge, Freddie Sears, Luke Hannant, Cole Skuse and Luke Chambers have all arrived at the U’s, since the end of last season.

“Pre-season will give the boys a bit of time to gel,” added Mullins.

“I think most of the boys have come in and know each other from their previous clubs.

“There’s a link there as well with Dean Gerken and Tommy Smith and Frank Nouble and people like that, so they all kind of know each other anyway which is good.

“They’re good characters, good young men and I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

Colchester’s first pre-season friendly will be at Pitching In Isthmian League division north outfit Billericay Town, on July 13.

The U’s begin the new League Two season with a trip to play Carlisle United, on August 7.