Luke Norris has never known such a strong “togetherness” within a squad, than the current dressing room at Colchester United.
Marksman Norris, on the comeback trail after an ankle injury, loves the fact that there are “no egos” in the U’s camp.
That team spirit has seen the U’s rise to third in League Two, and they can cement that top-three berth this weekend with a third win on the bounce, away at out-of-sorts Carlisle United.
It is a 630-mile round trip between the Jobserve Community Stadium and Brunton Park, the home of Carlisle United in Cumbria, but for Norris and his team-mates it is another chance to bond as a unit.
“I’m looking forward to the Carlisle trip,” insisted Norris.
“This is the first club that I have been at where every single person gets on with everyone else, in the changing room.
“There are no massive egos, no idiots, instead there is a real sense of togetherness.
“Everyone gets on, and we all enjoy spending time together, like on these long away trips.
“Personally, I have only played once before at Carlisle, and I have bitter-sweet memories.
“It was the first game of last season (for Swindon Town). I scored early on (31 minutes) in the game but then dislocated my shoulder shortly afterwards (three minutes later).
“So I scored, and we ended up winning (2-1) but I also have a bad memory of it.”
Norris suffered an ankle injury, during the early stages of the 1-0 home win over his old club Swindon at the start of November.
The injury was expected to keep him out of action until the turn of the year, but instead the 25-year-old, who had plundered eight goals in 17 appearances for the U’s, was back just five weeks later, as a substitute during last weekend’s 1-0 home win over bottom club Macclesfield Town.
“It’s great to be back,” continued Norris.
“I’m back a lot sooner than was first thought, because it sounded bad news at the start. But then I improved really quickly, and I hope it (the ankle) stays strong.
“I feared the worst, when I first did it (against Swindon). My mate, the Swindon skipper (Olly Lancashire), heard the ‘pop’ as well as me, so I thought that I had done my Achilles tendon.
“It was a freak injury, a weird one, but in the end it was a broken bit of bone.
“I had no inclination before it happened. It was totally innocuous and quite strange really, and I hope that it doesn’t happen again!
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