Encouraged Bender & Maybury Get Clean Slate

Two full-backs on the periphery of Colchester United`s squad, Alan Maybury and Tom Bender, have been publically reassured they will get a fresh chance to impress at the club.

New manager John Ward made special mention of the pair today as he was presented to the media as the club`s successor to Aidy Boothroyd, shortly after revealing he had held personal conversations of a similar nature with striker Steven Gillespie and defender Pat Baldwin.

Maybury, formally of Leeds and Leicester, fell out of favour this season and is very much seen as a pet signing of another former manager, Paul Lambert, who awarded him a new contact last summer, while Bender is a promising young-team graduate with a bright future in the game ahead.

Ward said there was "no reason" why Maybury would not get another change to reclaim the spot he lost behind more regular choice right backs John White and Phil Ifil last season.

He added: "Even though I know them and I`m aware of them and I know a little bit about their football, I`ve seen players return differently. Young Tom Bender could come back a man and say he wants the first-team place. He can have a go at it, if he wants to."

"It`s really up to the players and I will make decisions on what I see now, not what I preconceive," Ward explained.

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