COLCHESTER United's forgotten man, Phil Ifil, could be playing against the U's on the opening day of the new season!Paul Lambert's men kick-off their League One campaign with a visit to newly-relegated Norwich City on August 8.

Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United's forgotten man, Phil Ifil, could be playing against the U's on the opening day of the new season!

Paul Lambert's men kick-off their League One campaign with a visit to newly-relegated Norwich City on August 8.

And the Canaries are eying up a move in the transfer market for right-back Ifil, who has been completely out-of-favour since Lambert arrived at the Community Stadium last October.

The U's boss has made no secret of the fact that he has been under-whelmed by Ifil, especially in terms of his form and overall fitness.

The 22-year-old was unable to even break into the 16-man squad during the last few months of last season, even when Lambert was short of players for the last home game of the campaign against Peterborough. The Scotsman only named four of the allowed five substitutes that day, with Ifil left out in the cold.

His last appearance was the 1-0 home win over Yeovil on November 25, when he hobbled off injured at half-time and did not appear in the second half.

It's all been such a big come-down for Ifil, who was signed from Tottenham for an undisclosed six-figure fee by former U's boss Geraint Williams in January, 2008.

Ifil played three games in the Premier League with Tottenham, and also had loan spells with Millwall and Southampton, before his high-profile switch to Colchester.

He was a virtual ever-present during Williams' final months in charge, but his future has looked very bleak since last winter. That's why a fresh start elsewhere, quite possibly at Carrow Road, will be just the tonic that he needs.

Norwich boss Bryan Gunn is believed to be keeping tabs on Ifil, who can operate at left-back as well as right-back.