ANDY Bond has revealed that his knee injury, sustained at Brentwood on Saturday, is not as serious as first feared.

U’s midfielder Bond limped off after just nine minutes of the 2-1 win at Brentwood in a pre-season friendly, after twisting his knee in an awkward fall.

But the ex-Barrow 26-year-old revealed this morning: “The knee is not as bad as I first thought.

“In fact, I will be back training this week.”

The U’s entertain Championship side Derby County on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, the U’s today snapped up a couple of new players to bolster their squad for the new campaign.

Jackson Ramm, who has impressed for the U’s in pre-season, at right-back, has signed a one-year deal. Ramm was on Blackburn Rovers’ books for three years, and is a former England youth international.

He also scored for the U’s development side in their 4-1 defeat at Witham Town last week.

Midfielder Merrick James-Lewis, who was at Southend last season, has signed a six-month deal.