Clinton Morrison announces his imminent departure from Colchester United

Clinton Morrison has “no regrets” about signing for Colchester United, despite a difficult two-year stay coming to an end this weekend.

The experienced striker has confirmed that he will NOT be with the U’s next season. Instead, he will be looking around for a new club this summer.

Morrison did intimate that, in hindsight, he should perhaps have signed for ex-U’s boss Phil Parkinson’s Bradford City, rather than the U’s, back in the summer of 2012 – but hindsight is a wonderful thing!

The 34-year-old will play on the final day of the season at Walsall tomorrow, so he will have a chance to say a fond farewell to U’s fans.

But then the ex-Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday striker will have to knuckle down and find a new club.

“Colchester is a great club, and I have no regrets,” insisted Morrison. “However, I am not staying.

“I could have probably stayed, having spoken to the gaffer (Joe Dunne), but I’m coming towards the end of my career and I want to play football for another two or three years.

“I want to enjoy myself playing football. I’m not being disrespectful, but I haven’t really enjoyed myself in the few years I have been at Colchester.

“I’ve enjoyed bits of it, don’t get me wrong – it’s a great dressing room with some great lads – but I want to play football, and I know I can still play football and score goals, given the right place.”

Morrison has only managed to score four goals in 70 first-team appearances, since arriving as former manager John Ward’s flagship signing.

“I was signed by a different manager. No disrespect to the current manager, whom I have backed, but I wasn’t his signing. And if I had known then what I know now, I would have gone to Bradford!” admitted Morrison.

“Phil Parkinson wanted me, and back then I should perhaps have gone. But John Ward was brilliant. He was on the phone to me all summer, trying to get me, so I came to Colchester.”