KEVIN Lisbie might not have time to say farewell to his old team-mates as new-look Colchester United kick off their pre-season campaign with a short trip to Tiptree United this evening (7.

Carl Marston

KEVIN Lisbie might not have time to say farewell to his old team-mates as new-look Colchester United kick off their pre-season campaign with a short trip to Tiptree United this evening (7.45pm).

Lisbie looks certain to have played his last game for the U's, with his move to Ipswich Town on the verge of being finalised last night.

“There's no way I'll be playing at Tiptree,” confirmed Lisbie, who originally joined the U's from Charlton a year ago.

In fact, it's been all change since the U's suffered relegation to League One last season, with 12 players leaving the club and five arriving.

New recruits Steven Gillespie, David Perkins, Matt Lockwood, Matt Heath and Paul Reid could all feature this evening, as U's boss Geraint Williams plans to give most of his squad a 45-minute run-out.

Defender Pat Baldwin is a definite non-starter as he continues his rehabilitation following a shoulder operation.

Tonight's hosts Tiptree clinched promotion to the Ridgeons League Premier Division after being crowned League One champions last season.

Meanwhile ex-Colchester midfielder Kevin Watson, who was one of the 12 departures over the summer, is currently having a trial at League Two crisis club Luton Town.

The Hatters will start the new season with a 30-point deduction, and so face a daunting task to try and avoid relegation out of the Football League.

They were originally deducted 20 points for failing to satisfy the Football League's insolvency rules, and this week they lost their appeal against a 10-point penalty for financial irregularities.

Watson has figured in both of Luton's pre-season friendlies, a 4-2 win over Boreham Wood and a 4-1 defeat at Hitchin Town. The 34-year-old played for 45 minutes in both matches.