David Prutton has signed for Colchester United’s League One rivals Swindon Town.

DAVID Prutton has signed for Colchester United’s League One rivals Swindon Town.

The 28-year-old midfielder came to the end of his short-term U’s contract at the end of the season and, after turning down a new deal at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, he has opted to join Danny Wilson in Wiltshire.

He is the second central midfielder to leave the club this summer following David Fox’s transfer to Norwich City.

However, in that position Ward can still call upon Kemi Izzet, Anthony Wordsworth (who played mainly on the left last season), David Perkins (who spent virtually all of last season out on loan after putting in a transfer request) and Andy Bond (who has just signed from non-league club Barrow).

And although John-Joe O’Toole isn’t due back from his cruciate knee injury until Christmas at the earliest, Lee Beevers has recovered from his long-term injury problems and can play as a defensive midfielder if required, while the versatile Ian Henderson can also play through the middle.

Former England Under-21 international Prutton fell out of favour with Leeds manager Simon Grayson at the start of last season and was signed by Aidy Boothroyd on loan at the end of January.

He then enjoyed a sensational debut against MK Dons, coming off the bench in front of a home crowd and scoring a spectacular long-range goal within seconds of his arrival.

Once Colchester’s trip to Leeds later that week was out the way, the Yorkshire club released Prutton and he duly signed on a permanent basis for the U’s on a short-term deal that would take him up to the end of the campaign.

The former Southampton and Nottingham Forest man played 18 more games for the Essex club in the second half of the season, playing mainly in centre midfield. He scored twice more – in score draws against Stockport and Brentford – and was dismissed against Tranmere.

Swindon narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship last season, losing 1-0 to Millwall in the play-off final following a fifth-place finish. Colchester ended up slipping to eighth following a dismal end-of-season collapse.

Prutton’s move to the County ground sees him link up with former Leeds team mates David Lucas and Jonathan Douglas.