'Anything is possible': New Colchester United boss Wayne Brown says League Two club has big ambition

New Colchester United boss Wayne Brown says "anything is possible" and has not ruled out a promotion charge after taking the reins at the Essex club.

Brown, 44, was placed in caretaker charge of the team in January after the departure of Hayden Mullins.

The club had slumped to 22nd in League Two and were just three points from the drop zone and with half the season gone.

Since taking over, Brown has overseen a rapid rise up the table, guiding them to 15th, and the former U's defender said there was no reason they could not push on next season.

"Anything is possible and that’s been proven. People talk about budgets, I go back to when I was a player at the football club," he said.

"We probably had one of the worst budgets in the league and still finished the season second and got promoted into the Championship. So it’s achievable, it’s doable and I’ve lived it."

Brown, who made 140 league appearances for the U's, described his new role as a "real privilege and honour".

He said he had already spoken to chairman Robbie Cowling, adding: "This club has fantastic owners who back the club in the best way they can."

Now he is looking forward to repaying the fans for their support.

"We’re ambitious, we don’t want to survive we don’t want to exist, we want to strive forward and improve.

"The fans have been first-class. Our away following that we had this season, has been immense.

"Last game of the season we were at Hartlepool. It wasn't exactly around the corner and the support that was generated, the commitment, the time and the travel and expense... it has been unbelievable.

"I would say to the fans 'you’ve been spot-on' and you are going to play a massive, massive part in the success we are hopefully going to get this season."