CColchester United, in the search for a more regular goalscorer for next season, are confident that they have landed the right man in Frank Nouble.

East Anglian Daily Times: Frank Nouble, celebrating a goal for one of his former clubs, Coventry City. Picture: PAFrank Nouble, celebrating a goal for one of his former clubs, Coventry City. Picture: PA (Image: PA/Press Association Images)

And Nouble himself is super-confident that he can score the goals that were missing from the U’s repertoire during the 2017-18 season (just 53 goals were scored from 46 league matches, the sixth lowest in League Two).

Alhough Sammie Szmodics (13 goals) and Mikael Mandron (10 goals) both reached double figures for the U’s last term, both struggled to hit the back net for long spells.

Nouble, operating mostly as a wide-man at Newport County in the same division, still came up with 10 goals in 52 first-team outings for the Exiles, nine of them bagged in his 45 league appearances.

The ex-Ipswich Town front-runner is promising more goals for the U’s next season, by playing in his more favoured role as a central striker, rather than a winger.

“I am a through the middle player and having scored the goals I did last season playing wide – plus the assists I got – then I feel I could double it or close to that if I am playing in the middle,” insisted Nouble, who signed a two-year deal last Friday.

The 26-year-old continued: “The manager (John McGreal) said that to me straight away, he wants me down the middle and I think I can be effective there.

“Colchester played well both games (against Newport last season) and play with a confidence on the ball.

“That’s something that I envied as it’s a style I like to play in. People think I am just a physical player, but I have more than that and I am looking forward to joining a team that can play a bit.

“I had a good year last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, and now I am very excited about what Colchester want to do this season and looking forward to this new challenge.

“I want to find a home and I will be closer to my family now by moving here. Signing two years gives me a chance to settle down and I want to perform on the pitch.

“I’m ready to give everything – I want the club to get promoted and play-offs is a minimum for a club like Colchester and for the players in this squad,” added Nouble.