COLCHESTER United manager Aidy Boothroyd will make a decision in the next few days as to whether he signs midfielder Craig Rocastle.

Stuart Watson

By Stuart Watson

COLCHESTER United manager Aidy Boothroyd will make a decision in the next few days as to whether he signs midfielder Craig Rocastle.

The 28-year-old was on trial at the Weston Homes Community Stadium last week and played the full 90 minutes as a reserve side beat Blue Square Premier side Grays Athletic 5-1 last Tuesday.

A 6ft 1in central midfielder, Rocastle has experience of helping a club get promoted from League One after he was part of the play-off winning Sheffield Wednesday side in 2004/5.

“I was asked to have a look at him and I would never turn down that sort of opportunity.

“He's not at the fitness levels of our guys, but I thought he did very well. We'll sit down and talk.

“You find that, particularly in recession times like these, that many players fall out the game.

“And when people fall on hard times they can be that little bit more hungry than before.”

Rocastle - the cousin of the late Arsenal and England midfielder David Rocastle - is of Grenadian and Trinidadian descent.

He started his career at Chelsea in 2003 but never made it past the reserves and during his two years there was sent out on loan to Barnsley, Lincoln and Hibernian.

The latter spell in Scotland proved particularly successful and Rocastle subsequently signed for Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in February 2005.

He made 28 appearances that season and played in the 4-2 play-off final win over Hartlepool United at the Millennium Stadium.

After playing 17 Championship games for the Owls the following season, Rocastle was sent out on loan to Yeovil and his contract was terminated by mutual consent at the end of the campaign.

Oldham snapped him up that summer and he helped the Latics reach the play-offs before they lost to Blackpool in the semis.

He spent the following season at Port Vale but failed to hold down a regular starting place and, after seeing out the season on loan at Gillingham, he was again released after a single season at a club.

After failing to win a contract at Hibernian following a trial, Rocastle's career changed direction when he joined Greek Super League side Thrasivoulos Filis.

He made 13 appearances for the club last season as they finished bottom with 14 points from 30 games and were relegated to the Beta Ethniki.

Trials at Crewe and Aberdeen, as well as short spells at non-league clubs Welling and Dover have followed, before the U's gave him a chance to impress last week.