LESSONS have been learned.

That’s according to Colchester United manager John Ward as he looks back on 2010 and surveys the next five months for the club.

This time last year the U’s headed into the New Year just three points off the automatic promotion places in League One.

However, the Essex club endured a disappointing second half of the campaign to ultimately end up finishing outside the play-off places.

Exactly 12 months on and the U’s once again find themselves at the turn of the year having occupied a play-off spot for virtually the entire first half of the campaign and just three points off the automatic promotion places.

And Ward – who was assistant manager to Aidy Boothroyd throughout last season before replacing him in the hotseat in the summer – believes the club can draw upon their experiences to sustain a promotion push right the way through to May this time around.

“Hopefully we’ve learnt from the things we didn’t quite get right from February onwards last season and will be able to put them right this time around,” said Ward.

“We’re a year on and a year more experienced of dealing with these things and hopefully that will stand us in good stead.”

Reflecting on the past 12 months for Colchester United, Ward added: “There was lots of promise at the beginning of the year in January/February when we were pushing on, but then disappointment with the last 10 games and the fact we weren’t able to sustain an attack on the top six.

“When you sit back and reflect that eighth position (in the third tier) is the fourth-best finish this club has ever achieved then, in the long-run, you think that wasn’t quite too bad. The disappointment of not making the top six doesn’t go away at all because of that though.

“Then came the change in management, Aidy going and me coming in, but hopefully there hasn’t been too much upheaval because I knew the players and we’ve tried to keep a steady ship going into this period now.”

Weather permitting, the U’s – who have had their last three matches postponed due to the freezing conditions – are due to start 2011 with a home league game against Charlton Athletic tomorrow.