COLCHESTER United have brought in Simon Bassey to help them with their summer recruitment drive.

The 48-year-old, who previously worked with management duo Danny and Nicky Cowley at Portsmouth, has been tasked with helping the U’s bolster their squad with new signings, ahead of the 2023-24 League Two season.

Bassey, who has been friends with the Cowleys since their non-league days, has already been watching potential targets for Colchester and will play his part in the club’s drive to bring in new faces.

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U’s boss Cowley said: “Simon’s helping us with recruitment, this summer.

“He’s a great guy who has an unbelievable knowledge of these levels.

“He’s lived every different role in football and has a ridiculously wide range of contacts.

“I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like Simon.

“He’s got a great personality and brings an energy and enthusiasm and love for the game.

“Whenever you can surround yourself with like-minded people, I think you should.

Gazette: Danny Cowley

“He knows these levels, he knows what you need what it takes and I think he’ll be a really good addition to our recruitment department.”

Bassey spent 17 years as a player and coach at AFC Wimbledon and had two interim spells in charge of the Dons.

He left Wimbledon in the summer of 2019 and worked at Barnet, where he was first-team coach.

Bassey quit the Bees to become Portsmouth’s first-team assistant coach in the summer of 2021 and had a brief spell in caretaker charge at Fratton Park following the Cowleys’ departure in January, 2023.

READ MORE: U's will be 'really aggressive' in pursuit of new signings

Colchester are aiming to be aggressive in this summer’s transfer window, as they look to revamp their squad for next season.

The U’s are currently without a head of recruitment following Ross Embleton’s departure to West Ham United in February but the Cowleys will be assisted by Bassey along with sporting director Dmitri Halajko, in their pursuit of new signings.

Gazette:

“All the football staff will be involved,” added Cowley.

“We’re really fortunate to have someone of Dmitri’s experience.

“The great thing for us is that he’s a sporting director who’s been a coach as well, so he comes from a coaching background so he absolutely gets it and he understands not just from a business perspective but also from a football perspective of what is required.”