Colchester United can make progress next season – providing they keep the bulk of their squad together.

That’s the view of the club’s former long-serving midfielder Kem Izzet, who says the U’s can use their final-day survival as a platform in League One.

Colchester are preparing for an eighth successive season in the third tier, after narrowly avoiding relegation to League Two.

U’s boss Tony Humes is hoping to retain the services of the likes of midfielder David Fox, while also signing a number of experienced players.

Izzet, who made nearly 450 appearances during a 12-year spell at Colchester before leaving in 2013, says continuity will be vital for his former club.

He said: “Colchester have done amazingly well to stay in League One and I would imagine it will get some fans back on their side.

“If they can keep the nucleus of that team together, I think they’d have a good chance to build on what they’ve done.

“The big thing is to get a group of players that is all together.

“You need to build a camaraderie between the group and almost self-manage.

“That was something that we had in our squad, when we got promoted.

“There wasn’t much that Phil Parkinson and Geraint Williams had to do, when we were there.

“They laid the law down but everyone knew what was expected of them.

“The discipline in the dressing room was spot on and that was a massive factor.

“Any successful team has a togetherness about it.”

Izzet believes boss Humes did a good job in retaining Colchester’s League One status.

The U’s manager was criticised by some fans last season but Izzet says in keeping the club up, Humes proved some of the doubters wrong.

“Some supporters are for the management team and some are against it and that’s their opinion,” added Izzet, who now plays for Needham Market.

“But I think a few of them have had to eat a bit of humble pie.

“The job that the manager has there is very difficult, with the budget he’s got.”

Izzet runs his own football school, the Kem Izzet Soccer Academy which is run in conjunction with the Football Careers Centre Football Academy and also coaches at Needham Market.

Anyone interested in attending sessions at Kem Izzet Soccer Academy should visit www.fcc-fa.co.uk .

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.