Locky Cannot Wait To Get Started

Colchester United's latest recruit Matt Lockwood has revealed he cannot wait to get started in a U's shirt.

Lockwood ended a disappointing spell with Nottingham Forest, by signing a two-year deal with the U's yesterday.

Speaking to U's World, he said: 'It's fantastic to get things sorted so early, so that I can go on my holidays and relax, and know that when I come back I am starting afresh at a new club.

'It is something to look forward to, because I sense from everyone here it's a real time of change at the club with the move to the new stadium. There is a real buzz about the place and I can't wait to get my teeth stuck into it.

'I felt early on that I would need to leave Forest. I lost my place through injury, was out for four months and I knew my luck wasn't in.

'It was frustrating and hard to take because Julian Bennett did so well and I didn't have an argument for not being in the team.

'The most I played was five on the trot and I didn't feel I did myself justice there.'

Lockwood, a former Leyton Orient player, also said how the U's were keen on him back in January.

'I knew that something might happen back in January when the manager wanted me to go on loan for the rest of the season,' the left-back added.

'Forest wouldn't let me go at the time, so I was hoping that something would happen in the summer.

'Geraint came back to me a few weeks ago and asked me whether I still fancied it and I was keen straight away.'

He continued: 'The manager is very keen and honest and it was inevitable that I was going to come back south to join Colchester.

'It's time for a new challenge and I hope I can do as well here as I did for Orient as I feel my record speaks for itself.'