U's boss Geraint Williams has told of his delight at capturing Matt Heath on a permanent basis and believes that the former Leeds man can bring plenty to the team next season.

The Layer Road fans have already seen fleeting glimpses of the centre half's defensive abilities, but injuries limited the extent of his impact during his initial stay in north Essex.

And the U's manager believes his latest acquisition can make a big difference at the back next season.

"I am delighted to welcome Matt back to the club," Geraint told CU-FC.com.

"He came down on loan and was unfortunate to pick up a few niggly injuries, so didn't play as much as he would have liked.

"However, in the games that he did play, he showed some very good qualities that I feel will improve the team.

"Matt, Chris Coyne and Pat Baldwin will be in competition for two starting places and that's exactly what we need - competition and quality - so I am delighted to have him on board."

The move into the transfer market is a relatively early one and the U's boss admitted it was good to have one part of the promotion jigsaw in place in the early weeks of the close season.

"It is great to have it done so soon, it means we know what we have on board in that part of the team as we look to the rest of the summer."