FREDDIE Sears is looking forward to this season, more than any other season, in his still fledgling career.

Colchester United attacker Sears has spent most of his career either battling for a rare chance to play in West Ham’s starting XI, or else trying to adapt to a mid-season move to a lower league club on loan.

But now he is set to start his first full season, as a key member of a League One club.

“I’m here to play games, and it’s helping to get a good pre-season,” continued Sears.

“I’m looking forward to this season more than any other, because I know that I am here to play.

“It’s been a good pre-season for me so far, with three goals (two at Heybridge and one against Vitesse Arnhem). You take these goals as a striker.

“Three in three is good at any level, and can only breed confidence.”

Sears had the unfamiliar experience of playing against, rather than for, his long-time employers West Ham on Saturday.

Front-runner Sears was at Upton Park for a decade, as a schoolboy from the age of 10, before eventually upping sticks to join Colchester United on a three-year deal this summer.

And the 21-year-old relished the chance to play against his old club, in an entertaining pre-season friendly at an 80% full Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Sears started brightly against the Hammers, and was especially encouraged by the way the U’s responded after falling 2-0 behind.

“We got back in the game, when we were 2-0 down, which is always a good sign,” enthused Sears.

“We kept going, and we really had a good go.

“I had a shot early on, which tested the goalie (Jussi Jaaskelainen). I’m just trying to shoot on sight at the moment.

“Pre-season is what you make of it really, it’s not about the results.

“But it’s good to score goals. We passed the ball around well for the first 10 minutes, and we looked very good on the ball.

“We scored a good counter-goal. Everyone knows what Woody (Anthony Wordsworth) can do, and how good he is, and he did well.

“We are all trying to get our fitness in, and hopefully it bodes well for Yeovil and then Preston away,” added Sears, with reference to the League Cup tie at Huish Park, and then the League One opener at Deepdale.