Freddie Sears believes it will be easy to settle back into life at Colchester United due to the growing Ipswich Town contingent at the League Two club.
Sears became the latest former blue to sign on the dotted line at Colchester, agreeing a two-year deal on Tuesday to seal a return to a club he left for Portman Road in January of 2015.
He joins Luke Chambers and Cole Skuse in moving to the U’s from Ipswich this summer, while Dean Gerken, Tommy Smith and Tom Eastman are also at the club. Emyr Huws and Alan Judge could potentially follow, with Colchester also negotiating a deal with former Ipswich striker Frank Nouble.
“I spoke to Easty (Tom Eastman) the other day,” he said. “We saw each other last season and had a good catch-up.
“I’ve known him a long time and I obviously know Chambo and Skusey who have come here and Deano (Gerken) and Tommy Smith are here as well.
“I think it’s going to be easy to come in and settle straight away, although I think I would have managed it anyway, so I’m really looking forward to getting started.
“I’m delighted and raring to get going after coming back to the stadium, the training ground and seeing everyone.
“You have a little break after the season and I was lucky that I got to go away on holiday this year, but then you’re training on your own in parks or running on treadmills, but then you just want to get back with the boys and get going for the year ahead.
“I had a really good time at Ipswich for six years. It’s a great club going in a different direction now and the Colchester move came about quite quickly, really.”
Sears revealed he came close to a Colchester return in January before the deal fell away, with the forward insisting he ‘owes’ the U’s after they gave him his break following his departure from West Ham.
“There was a little bit of interest in January which was close to happening but didn’t at the time, so once the news was announced that I would be leaving Ipswich I spoke to Colchester quickly and the deal was done,” Sears said.
“There was obviously holidays and a few weeks of waiting but I’m just glad to get it done now.
“Coming back to Colchester has always been something for me. When I left the club I always said I’d love to come back one day and I feel like this is the club where I made my name. I’m maybe best known for the goal on my debut for West Ham but Colchester is the club where I played week in, week out.
“I feel like I owe the club and I’m glad to be back. I spoke to Hayden (Mullins, head coach), Jon (De Souza, technical director), Bally (Steve Ball, recruitment) and Robbie (Cowling, owner) and from there I am just glad to have got it done.
“In football you have a few offers but the timing was perfect.”
Colchester finished 20th last season, just pulling away from relegation, and Sears will be hoping for a better campaign this time around.
“It was a strange season last season with the boys flying at the start before things slipped a bit.,” Sears said of Colchester’s season.
“I had a little bit of interest in January so after that I kept an eye on things. I probably saw it from a fan’s perspective, which wasn’t great at times.
“I watched the Oldham game (5-2 loss) on iFollow and it didn’t look great, but thankfully they managed to stay up.
“Last season has gone and now we’re looking forward to a new challenge.”
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