ALEX Wynter insists Colchester United must make winning promotion their main target in League Two next season.

The U’s will play in English football’s fourth tier for the first time in 18 years, following their relegation last month.

Colchester have spent eight successive years in League One following their relegation from the Championship, in 2008.

And defender Wynter insists returning to the division has to be their primary objective, in the 2016-17 campaign.

Wynter said: “We’ll be in League Two next season but we now know what our task is and now we can prepare for that.

“We more than coped with teams in League One this year so hopefully we can go into League Two next year and play our football, fight and hopefully get back up.

“The aim has to be to bounce back as quickly as we can and win promotion.

“We will go out to win every game and if we do that, then we’ll get promoted.”

Wynter admits it was a shock to see Kevin Keen quit his role as Colchester manager last week.

The 22-year-old made eight appearances under the former U’s boss and says he enjoyed playing under him - but insists they cannot afford to dwell on Keen’s departure.

“I enjoyed my time playing under Kevin Keen because I thought I was finding some form and I wish him all the best,” said the former Crystal Palace youngster.

“But it’s part and parcel of football and I’ve had many managers now, so it’s just another chapter and we have to move on now.

“As players, it’s always a shock and we didn’t see it coming.

“The gaffer had been talking about next season and preparing us for that.

“But as professionals, we have a job to do and we can’t affect what goes on above us.

“We just have to go out and affect what happens on the pitch.”

Wynter has made substitute appearances in each of Colchester’s last two games, following a three-month lay-off after suffering concussion in their FA Cup tie against Spurs.

Wynter added: “At one point, I thought my season was over and that I wouldn’t play again until next season.

“Anything I get between now and the end of the season is a bonus.

“At the time of my injury, I felt I was just finding my feet in the centre-back position.

"My task now is to get back to that - that’s definitely my aim, next season.

“If you get a good pre-season under your belt you normally start well, so fingers crossed we can do that and give the new manager a tough decision to pick the team.”