Colchester United’s most recent signing, Joe Edwards, is looking to fill the boots left by former midfield lynchpin David Fox.

Ex-Yeovil Town skipper Edwards might be seven years the junior of Fox, who left the club this summer to return to his native north-west.

But Edwards, 24, is up for the challenge of adding stability to the U’s midfield, while protecting the back four, during the Essex club’s eighth successive season in League One.

“I’ll be looking to bring some energy to the midfield,” insisted Edwards.

“I’ll want to be doing the same sort of job that David Fox did so well last season, by adding a little bit of stability to the midfield. I want to help shore up our defensive side of the game, to help the team out.

“I aim to do the simple things well, in terms of keeping the ball and passing it accurately. And I have lots of energy to bring to the team.

“It’s a very young squad, but there’s some experience as well, and I’m delighted to be given a chance to keep playing my football in League One,” added Edwards.

Former Bristol City trainee Edwards spent the last three years at Yeovil, suffering some real ups and downs at the Somerset club.

Edwards basked in the glory of a first ever promotion to the Championship in 2012-13, and went on to play in every league game during the Glovers’ one and only season in the second tier of English football.

However, he has since endured back-to-back relegations at Yeovil, and so was keen to leave Huish Park over the summer, for pastures new, even though manager Paul Sturrock wanted him to stay.

“It’s been tough at Yeovil, over the last couple of seasons,” confessed Edwards.

“Having come down from the Championship, we were expecting to be up there challenging for promotion last season, but it didn’t turn out that way. That’s football for you.

“There are some big clubs in League One, but I’m hoping for a better season with Colchester this year. There’s a lot of quality in the ranks.

“I know Sam (Walker) from his loan days at Yeovil. He’s a top-class keeper, and Chris Porter is a fine striker to be leading the front-line, so the spine of the team looks good.”

Edwards made his first appearance in a Colchester United shirt, with 45 minutes of action during the U’s first pre-season friendly of the summer at Essex neighbours Heybridge Swifts last Saturday, a game the U’s won 8-0.

He is expected to feature again at Brentwood Town this evening.