Blues midfielder Fin Barbrook has joined League Two Colchester United on loan for the rest of the season.

The 21-year-old spent the first half of the campaign in League One with Lincoln City but only made three Vertu Trophy appearances for the Imps.

U’s head coach Danny Cowley says he’s been looking at the Southwold-born youngster since his spell on loan at Sutton in the National League last season.

“We’ve had to be incredibly patient as he’s one we identified last season. I first saw him play four or five times for Sutton and he had an incredible year there,” he told the Essex side’s official website.

“We really wanted to bring him in during the summer, but he had such a strong pre-season, playing in all the first-team games for Ipswich, and he had so many League One options.

“Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, Lincoln have done so well that it meant he didn’t get as much game time as he would have liked.

“We were hopeful we’d be able to bring him in towards the end of December to train with us and hit the ground running in January, but he returned to Ipswich and joined up with their first team again. We’re super excited to have him now, though.”

Barbrook added: “It’s been a bit of a long time coming. I thought, to be honest, that I’d be here a bit earlier in the window, but I had to wait due to other circumstances.

“I’m really, really pleased to get it over the line. I met the Cowleys about a month ago just before Christmas and I thought they came across really, really well.

“I’m really looking forward to it – the environment seems really good, the lads seem great and the training intensity was proper. They definitely do things properly, so I can’t wait.

“Hopefully, I can get as many minutes as possible and we can do something special this year.

“It was tough not having a game to build up to when you train, because that’s what we want to do as footballers.

“I’m raring to go and, because I haven’t played as many games, it means that by the end of the season other players at other clubs might be a little down in terms of fitness but I’ll be on the upward trajectory.

“This part of the season is just about playing as many minutes as I can.

“There’s definitely something exciting here happening, with the play-off push and promotion push, so it’s great to be here and I’m really looking forward to playing and trying to get promoted.”

Barbrook made his Town debut in the Carabao Cup at Bromley in August and as his Lincoln appearances were only in the Vertu Trophy he is allowed to play for a third club this season.

Photo: Matchday Images