Colchester United’s new club skipper, Brian Wilson, admits that his predecessor will be a difficult act to follow.

Kem Izzet left the U’s by mutual consent on Monday, ending a loyal 12-year association with the Essex club.

Izzet was a much-respected club captain during the latter part of his U’s career, having distinguished himself with 422 league games as a tenacious midfielder.

But now that the 32-year-old has opted to leave the U’s, in search of regular football at another club, U’s boss Joe Dunne has lost no time in appointing right-back Wilson as his new club captain.

Wilson said: “Kem did a great job and on behalf of the whole squad, I’d like to wish him all the best for the future.

“His are big boots to fill as captain, but I’m happy to be taking it on.

“I have captained the side on the pitch quite a lot already, but it’s an honour to be asked to be the club captain.

“It’s great that the manager has faith in me, and I’ll be doing all I can to do a good job and help us achieve our aims over the next few months,” added Wilson.

Dunne said of Wilson’s appointment: “Brian has been captain for us when Kem hasn’t played, and is an obvious choice to take over now that Kem has left.

“Like Kem, Brian is 100% committed on the training ground and on the pitch, and he leads by example.”

This is Wilson’s fourth season with the U’s, since his switch from Bristol City during the summer of 2010.

The 30-year-old, who began his career at Stoke and also played for Cheltenham Town, has not missed many games over the last three years, rattling up 117 league appearances.

Wilson was back in the U’s side for last night’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match at Dagenham & Redbridge, after missing Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Leyton Orient through ill health.

And Wilson marked his return with the sweetest of free-kicks, to put the U’s 1-0 up with what was only his third goal for the club.

However, the evening ended on a sour note, both for Wilson and the U’s – he was left nursing a sore calf in a 4-1 drubbing.