Colchester United confirm Cole Skuse signing from Ipswich Town

russell.claydon@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 16:20, 25 May 2021

| Updated: 16:24, 25 May 2021

Exiting Ipswich Town midfielder Cole Skuse has had his move down the A12 to Colchester United for next season confirmed this afternoon.

SuffolkNews reported how the 35-year-old, who clocked up 278 for the Suffolk side since arriving from Bristol City in May 2013, had reportedly sealed a move to the League Two north Essex outfit after being heavily linked earlier this week.

And that has now been revealed by the U's who have said Skuse has put pen to paper on a two-year contract at the JobServe Community Stadium, starting on July 1.

Cole Skuse receives a hug from Myles Kenlock after playing his last game for Ipswich Town in the season-ending League One match at home to Fleetwood Town Picture: Barry Goodwin

Colchester's director of football Tony Humes told the club's website it was good business on two fronts.

"It's fantastic for us to get Cole in and done so quickly," he said, with the deal still subject to ratification from the relevant bodies.

"He's a quality midfielder that will certainly add to what we have here already, but he's also a great role model to have around our younger players.

"His standards and professionalism will always be extremely high and that can only be good for the other lads.

"Playing the number of games he has, at the level he has, proves how good his footballing qualities are, and him being here is great for the club and can only be good for the likes of Noah Chilvers and Brendan Wirdeu to learn from."

Skuse's final season in Suffolk was restricted to just four appearances, three coming from the substitutes bench, due to a knee injury suffered at the end of pre-season training. It was during his rehab that he began helping out coaching at St Joseph's College in Ipswich.

Fellow Town released players Freddie Sears and captain Luke Chambers have also been linked with a move to Colchester, with the former's return understood to be the more likely.

The U's appointed Hayden Mullins as former Town player Wayne Brown's successor as manager following a disappointing 2020/21 campaign which saw them finish 20th after winning a battle to avoid a drop out of the Football League.

Football Ipswich Sport Ipswich Town FC Russell Claydon