THERE are plenty of players on the lookout for new clubs, at this time of year.

Colchester United announced their retained list recently, with the likes of Mikael Mandron and Ryan Gondoh are among those who have left the U’s this summer and are now free agents.

But what of the players to have left the JobServe Community Stadium, last summer?

The Gazette takes a look at the fortunes of the four senior players who were released by the U’s this time, last year.

Doug Loft

Loft’s Colchester career was blighted by injury and he managed only 12 league starts for them following his switch from Gillingham in the summer of 2016.

After his release by the U’s, the midfielder signed a one-year deal with Shrewsbury Town but found his opportunities difficult to come by, at the League One club.

He joined National League side Dagenham and Redbridge in January and made 12 appearances, at Victoria Road.

He is currently on the lookout for a new club for the second successive summer, following his release by Shrewsbury last month.

Craig Slater

Slater made 42 league and cup appearances for Colchester between 2016 and 2018, after arriving from Kilmarnock.

The 25-year-old spent the final few months of his career at the U’s on loan at Dundee United, before being released by Colchester last summer.

Following a brief trial period at Danish side AC Horsens, the midfielder signed for Scottish Championship outfit Partick Thistle where he made 41 league and cup appearances this season.

Denny Johnstone

Like his compatriot Craig Slater, striker Johnstone joined Colchester in 2016 and ended his spell at the club out on loan.

Johnstone, who made 35 appearances and scored two goals for the U’s during his spell at the JobServe Community Stadium, joined St Johnstone on loan in August 2017 and remained at the Scottish Premiership club for the whole of the 2017-18 campaign.

The Scotland under-19 international was released by the U’s at the end of the season and joined Greenock Morton on a one-year deal, where he made four appearances this season.

Johnstone was released by Morton earlier this month and is now looking for a new club.

Tommy O’Sullivan

Signed by Colchester from Cardiff City in January 2017, the midfielder failed to establish himself in the first team at the JobServe Community Stadium.

O’Sullivan, who managed only seven senior appearances for the U’s and only one start, spent the final few months of his Colchester career on loan in the National League with Torquay United.

Following his release by the U’s last summer, he eventually signed for National League North side Hereford, following a successful trial period at Edgar Street.

The 24-year-old featured 31 times for the Bulls, this season.

Colchester also released seven of their under-23 squad, last summer.

Here’s where they have most recently been playing their football:

Charley Edge – Marine FC, Eli Phipps – Weston super Mare, Tarryn Allarakhia – Crawley Town, Josh Pollard – Coggeshall Town, Callum Sturgess – Needham Market, JJ Wilson – Needham Market, Dom Kurasik – unknown.