Colchester United have confirmed the signing of former Blues skipper Luke Chambers on a two-year deal.

The 35-year-old was reported to have agreed terms with the U’s earlier in the week and has now formally joined his close friend Cole Skuse at the JobServe Community Stadium, the duo having been released by Town at the end of last season.

"It's something that really interested me with how the club dealt with the last year, obviously it wasn't the season on the pitch that the club wanted,” the centre-half or right-back told Colchester’s official website.

"The chairman put a plan in place to get us in a position for this year to be able to really try and do something.

"That appealed to me straight away - I want to be coming to a club that has aspirations of being promoted and wanting to improve."

Chambers had been with the Blues for nine years making 395 starts and one sub appearance, netting 19 times, all but a handful while wearing the captain’s armband.

League One Gillingham were also keen on the former Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest man.

Colchester are also understood to be keen on former Blues midfielder Alan Judge and Emyr Huws, while it is now looking less likely that Freddie Sears will return to the North Essex club with Leyton Orient keen on the 31-year-old.

Photo: Matchday Images

miltonsnephew added 19:20 - Jun 10 Good luck capt!! Needed a new challenge
12

OwainG1992 added 19:20 - Jun 10 Best of luck Chambo. Terrific representative of our club and his impact off the field will be felt for years with the youngsters he looked out for.
11

jas0999 added 19:28 - Jun 10 Good move move for him. Time for all parties to move on, but this is great news for Chambers.
8

Rimsy added 19:30 - Jun 10 Good luck to him. Must say I fear for Colchester if any more of our rabble from our squad last year sign for them.
-1

RobITFC added 19:34 - Jun 10 Sounds like this has been a plan for quite a while ? Could explain a few things ?
-4

ArnieM added 19:40 - Jun 10 Good luck Luke, you'll do just great at Col,U…. They will benefit from your experience.👍
8

bazza added 19:46 - Jun 10 Once he's finished his journey at Colchester, they will be playing at whitton Utd away.
-18

Suffolkboy added 19:47 - Jun 10 Wise head , excellent fitness record ,very consistent performer and a good character who will enhance CUFC throughout . Well done LC ; every good wish for a happy and successful two years ,enjoying the challenge and no doubt continuing the learning process towards a career in Coaching / Management ! COYB
14

ThaiBlue added 20:15 - Jun 10 Thank god this has happend was getting a bit boring about this story.
1

RobsonWark added 20:19 - Jun 10 Oh dear! Colchester will be playing non-league football in 2022-23. So much for "I want to be coming to a club that has aspirations of being promoted and wanting to improve." They obviously lied to you Chambo!
-1

Monkey_Blue added 20:20 - Jun 10 Sick of hearing fans slag off players as not good enough who were part of a side constantly challenging for the play-offs in a higher league than we are in. It's just crazy to think those guys and some of them are younger than chambo by a long way have a bad attitude and would have survived under MM. Who gave Bishop, Dozzell, Kenlock et al their debuts? Some of those you are calling not good enough we're trying to get promotion to the premiership under a manager who wouldn't tolerate a poor attitude or big time Charlies. I hope Chambers does incredibly well.

8

Lukeybluey added 20:21 - Jun 10 Best of luck chambo. Represented our club very well. Seems like a genuinely good dude. Hope he and skusey help get col u promoted.
8

Ipswichbusiness added 20:33 - Jun 10 The move is two years too late.
4

BaddowBlue1 added 20:46 - Jun 10 Between managers you carried the club and helped with each transition probably at the detriment of your own performances and stopped you moving a couple of years ago when your career probably would have benefited from a change. Thank you for everything you have done for the club, and everything done in the background that went unnoticed. This is a great move that will help you in the right direction to future coaching or management positions. Good Luck and all the very best in your future ventures.

4

Talbs77 added 21:07 - Jun 10 Wish him the best in future endeavours, did well at 35 to get 2 years! Wouldn't go quite as far as some on here, he was a decent player and good captain, did he have too much influence? Don't think we'll ever answer that question but massively unfair to apportion blame on clubs decline to him or Skuse.
3

coolcat added 21:08 - Jun 10 Good luck to Chambers at his new club. A fresh challenge and a new start. He was a great role model for upcoming players. Showed great leadership and professionalism at all times. The move is also not too much of an upheaval to him and his family.
4

istanblue added 21:14 - Jun 10 ''League One Gillingham were also keen on the former Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest man'' Says everything that he preferred to take the easy option of dropping down a league for the cosy life at Col U with best mate Skuse, rather than trying to play at the highest level he can. Glad Captain Mediocrity is out of this club.
-8

johnwarksshorts added 21:21 - Jun 10 Good luck Chambo.
3

Wishing4arightback added 21:53 - Jun 10 Glad he's got a good move, perhaps slightly outstayed his ability for a season with us. Good luck and hope he has an enjoyable time. Time for a new leader than can speak with his performances on the pitch.
0

Wooly74 added 21:58 - Jun 10 Embarrassing reading some of these so called fans comments regarding a player who has given his all for this club over the last 9 years. Reading the names I can't see many of you being fellow pro's in the game and probably mostly arm chair supporters. For what it is worth, good luck Chambo and thank you for giving your all, watching you score against that lot up the road in the 88th minute a few seasons back was quality and 395 appearances tells me all I need to know 👍

8

Swailsey added 22:47 - Jun 10 istanblue: Or he didn't want to uproot his family from the area perhaps? Nah, probably more sensible to slag him off.
6

Bert added 22:49 - Jun 10 So easy to bad mouth players from behind a keyboard. With a new era being promised and expectations high, better to think good thoughts than spout personal abuse.
5

Mariner1974 added 23:08 - Jun 10 Had some great years for us, and drove the team on. Will be remembered as someone who gave his all for the club & that mighty fist pump to get the crowd pumped. Always makes me think of Watford, the inflatibles and the multi-pump. Be interesting to see who comes out of the shadows now Skuse and Chambers have gone, and takes this club we all love forward.
4

Mariner1974 added 23:09 - Jun 10 Think I used the word 'Pump' one too many times there
1

algarvefan added 23:10 - Jun 10 Good luck in your new venture Luke they are lucky to get you, you were a great servant to the club who always did his best, off the pitch you were are great ambassador for the club. Please ignore some of the mindless idiots on here who have no respect for anything or anybody, they are not what this club is about.
5

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls