Colchester United have named former Blues youngster Matt Bloomfield as their new head coach, succeeding another Town old boy, Wayne Brown, who was relieved of his duties last week.
Felixstowe-born Bloomfield’s appointment at the North Essex club ends a 19-year spell at Wycombe Wanderers where he made all but one of his 559 senior appearances and over the last two seasons as a member of manager Gareth Ainsworth’s coaching staff.
The 38-year-old came through the academy ranks at Playford Road and won an England U19 cap while with the Blues, featuring alongside striker Darren Bent as the Young Lions beat Germany 3-1 at Portman Road.
The midfielder made one sub appearance for the Town first team at Notts County in the Carling Cup in September 2003 before moving on to the Chairboys three months later.
"I always knew it would have to be something big to take me away from Wycombe Wanderers and I am so excited to begin a new chapter in my career by taking on the role as head coach at Colchester,” Bloomfield told the Wycombe club site.
"It wasn’t a decision I could take lightly, but I’m honoured to have been given an opportunity to further my career in a managerial position and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.
"Wycombe has been — and will continue to be — such a big part of my life and I am so grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way, and all the love and support that I’ve received from the fans, staff, players, board and everyone associated to the club.
"Words cannot describe how privilege I feel to have represented Wycombe for half my life and I will never forget or take for granted how much I enjoyed pulling on the shirt or turning up each day for training with such an incredible group of people.”
While a player at Wycombe, Bloomfield took some of his early steps in coaching working with Town’s academy youngsters.
Earlier this month, TWTD revealed that Bloomfield's 14-year-old nephew Teddie had joined Aston Villa from the Blues for a fee of £100,000.