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Judge: Town Spell Didn't Work Out As I Wanted It To
Saturday, 19th Jun 2021 13:08

Former Blues midfielder Alan Judge admits his time at Town didn’t work out the way he wanted it to having signed a two-year deal at Colchester United yesterday.

The 32-year-old left Town in April after reaching 29 league appearances with a 30th set to trigger another year on his contract, something manager Paul Cook was unwilling to do.

Nine-times-capped former Republic of Ireland international Judge joined Town from Brentford in January 2019 and went on to make 75 starts and 16 sub appearances, scoring eight times, but admits his spell didn’t go as well as he’d hoped.

“There were some good times at Ipswich. I’m not going to beat around the bush — it didn’t happen for me on the pitch because I had a few problems in my personal life, off the pitch and it all kind of coincided,” he told the Colchester Gazette.

“I think anybody that knows me there and the fans knows I always gave 100 per cent when I played. For one reason or another, it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to work out.”

While with Town his daughter Emily had to undergo two operations, then earlier this year his mother died having been ill with cancer for some time.

The Dubliner says he had a number of options to stay at League One level before deciding to join the League Two U’s: “I had a few offers from League One and I took them all into consideration.

“But with family and when I saw the vision of what they want to try and do, it ticked all the boxes for me. They’re going to try and have a go this year.

“I know it didn’t go the way they wanted it maybe last year — Covid had an impact on a lot of teams and maybe it’s going a little bit different, this year.

“They’re going to have more experience in the team, through the middle of it anyway and hopefully we can help bring those young players through again and try and get into the play-offs — that’s what we’re hoping for anyway.”

With former skipper Luke Chambers, Cole Skuse and Freddie Sears all joining Colchester this summer Judge and Dean Gerken having been a Portman Road team-mate early in his time with the Blues. He also previously worked with Jon De Souza, the U’s performance director, from his time with the Bees.

“I knew quite a bit about the club, because there were one or two players here I knew,” he added. “I know Jon from my time at Brentford.

“I spoke to Jon quite a bit and he sold me on the idea of what he’s trying to do. I know the club usually brings young players through and they’re going a little bit differently, this year.

“They want a good strength through the middle of the team and then help the young players in and around that and it’s something that I’m interested in.

“It would be good for the young lads to have more experienced players around them, players who know what it takes to be playing Saturday-Tuesday continuously.

“I know the lads who have come in well — they’re great lads and they’ll be good for the young lads, I’m sure. That’s what we’re here for — we’re here to help the young lads come through.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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90z added 13:30 - Jun 19
All the best Judgey! A good signing for Colchester.
24

nineteenseventyeight added 13:44 - Jun 19
I so wanted it to work out for you here, your heart is in the right place and so was your work rate. I'm sure you will do well down the A12
19

Smithy63 added 13:46 - Jun 19
Glad ur gone as u didn't really do well at town
U should score more in a league that suits u
And u have joined the rest of the deadwood
-42

ringwoodblue added 13:51 - Jun 19
It didn't work out as we wanted it to either but all the best for the future Judgey.
7

OwainG1992 added 13:52 - Jun 19
Best of luck Judgey.
Any non moron could see he always gave his all.
I'm fed up with the rubbish given out to players as soon as they leave.
A really nastiness spreading within the fan base.
29

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:53 - Jun 19
CUFC's strategy sounds good. I'd prefer us to get in a few solid, experienced players and then phase in some of our own yoofs as and when. A bit less drastic than the wholesale changes that are being suggested at the moment. But it might come to that anyway if we can't replace 90% of all the existing players at a stroke.
3

Karlosfandangal added 14:42 - Jun 19
OwainG1992

Not just when they leave, Chambers and Skuse got enough stick as well when playing for Town.

Wonder who is next to get the nasty comments week in week out
9

Suffolkboy added 15:04 - Jun 19
Best of luck; hope it all works out well and importantly you and the family enjoy working and living in our area !coyb
4

Wooly74 added 15:16 - Jun 19
Smithy63 …. REALLY!!!

Get a grip FFS.

What a moron.
9

KernewekBlue added 15:28 - Jun 19
No need whatsoever to verbally stick the boot in to the guy.

I'm sure he always tried to give his all on the pitch but problems at the club as a whole, allied to problems at home, contributed to under par performances. Let's face it, not many of the first team were covering themselves in glory over the past few seasons.

Good luck at Colchester Alan. Hope your fortunes improve on and off the field!
12

bluelodgeblue added 16:18 - Jun 19
Unfortunately in this day and age every site has more than its fair share of village idiots?
6

therein61 added 16:33 - Jun 19
Hardly a surprise it didn't turn out as he wanted with us his off field problems must have weighed heavily as a parent and then losing his mum, i always thought he did his utmost under very trying circumstances(having his head turned by Q.P.R didn't help)
All the best to you Alan Colchester have made a very shrewd signing.
5

Monkey_Blue added 16:38 - Jun 19
His head was turned by QPR because his wife and daughter were still down in London at the time and it meant he could be with his daughter whilst she was going through the medical procedures.
2

multiplescoregasms added 17:32 - Jun 19
It is true we didn't see the best of AJ, but there were without doubt several reasons for that. He always did his best and you could never see anything but. He even went head to head with a ref for the cause :-) The club has been in freefall up until recently, and listening to the Alan Lee interview just goes to show it may not have been the happiest place to be, even more so if you are having serious problems with the family side of things. Good luck AJ, thanks for your efforts.
1

pegasus added 17:45 - Jun 19
I too wish Alan all the best for the future. I'd have voted for him as 'Player of the Year', if that had been possible. His statement is warm and revealing, just as Luke Chambers' was. They both mentioned family, and the impact that Covid-19 has had on the game, clubs, and players over the last 16 months/season-and-a-half. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for Alan - his daughter's operations and time in hospital, his mother's illness and death. He seems to me (as does Luke Chambers) to be a strong, decent man. I hope the men who will replace them at Portman Road are similar characters.
6

Sixto6 added 18:41 - Jun 19
Up voted Smithy by mistake !

I hope things work out for you, one of our best player last season - family is more important than football.

Best of luck Judgey
3

Lathers added 18:46 - Jun 19
Never disliked a Town player as much as I did Judge. Always slipping over, always berating and muttering to himself for being sh*t after ‘another awful pass'. Actually his pass completion rate must have been less than 20% and one of the worst we've had here with his back to goal. Lost count of how many times last season he either slowed down a counter attack with either a bad pass or him slipping over. Massively overrated and joining a poor L2 team is probably about his level. Colchester should have just driven up here in a minibus and we could have packed it full… and strapped a few to the roof rack if required.
-7

runaround added 22:36 - Jun 19
Good luck Judgey
1

algarvefan added 00:07 - Jun 20
Good luck to him at Colchester, you could never fault his effort and commitment at Town, he was highly rated when he came to us too, but sadly it didn't happen for various reasons and lets not forget he was part of a poor team.
1

ringwoodblue added 09:45 - Jun 20
Don't agree with you about Judgey Lathers but your comment ‘and strapped a few to the roof rack if required' is funny. Lol!
0

Mariner1974 added 16:37 - Jun 20
He was utterly bobbins for us. Don't know why Lambert favoured him so. Was like a headless chicken most games. If he was so off colour we should have just used him from the bench. Seems like a good guy and liked his honesty, but will be remembered for when he nearly had a fight with a referee!
0


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