Alex Gilbey, who came up through the youth ranks at Colchester United, has had to get used to seeing several of his former mentors leave the football club.

Former first-team managers Joe Dunne and Tony Humes both had big parts to play in Gilbey’s emergence as a first-team regular, as did last weekend’s interim manager, Richard Hall.

And the same goes with current caretaker boss Wayne Brown.

Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s FA Cup second round home tie against National League side Altrincham, Gilbey explained: “When Joe Dunne first left, I was young and he was a big part of my career, so it hit me quite hard.

“Tony Humes has now left, another person I came up through the ranks with.

“But now I’ve turned more into a man. I think I’ve just got on with it, and before I should have done the same. Now I just have to listen to Brownie (Brown) and get on with things.

“The last few days have been good. Everyone knows Brownie around the building, especially myself.

“Obviously I used to watch him when I was young and he was playing. He’s another person who has come in and I think I can work with really well.

“He has come in and just tried to get us back to basics, with the little things, like throw-ins – we all needed to go back to the basics.

“Brownie knows the club, I think he knows everyone in the club and he knows his stuff about football,” added Gilbey, who should again grace the U’s midfield tody against Alty.