MALDON and Tiptree chairman Ed Garty expects the club’s alliance with Colchester United to go from strength to strength next season.

Twelve months ago, the two clubs formed an association which has seen the Ryman League division north team’s talented youngsters get the chance to earn a professional deal with the U’s.

Femi Akinwande and Ben Wyatt have both signed full-time contracts with Colchester after impressing for the Jammers, while other players from Park Drive have also trained with the U’s under-21 squad at Florence Park this season.

Maldon’s newly-appointed first-team manager Kevin Horlock follows in the footsteps of Steve Ball and David Wright in combining the Jammers job with a full-time coaching position within Colchester’s academy set-up.

And following the completion of the inaugural year of the link-up with Colchester, Garty is confident the association will only get stronger next season.

Garty said: “I’m very pleased with the way that the project is progressing.

“We didn’t quite get it right at the start as there was a little bit of naivety on our part but it was much better in the second half of the season.

“It wasn’t perfect at times but with the year of experience that we’ve now had, I hope that will stand us in good stead for next season.

“Players know that if they come to us then they have the potential opportunity to go and train with full-time footballers where the facilities are second to none.

“We will give them every possible opportunity to push on with their football careers and both the younger and older guys at the club are buying into that.

“They want to be treated like professional footballers and that’s what we’ll try and do.

“Femi Akinwande and Ben Wyatt are great examples of players who have gone on to a professional club and people see that.

“It’s alright saying that if you come to Maldon and Tiptree you can play for Colchester United but you can actually see it happening.

“Seeing the likes of Femi and Ben go on and earn professional deals is a big draw for them, especially the younger guys.”

Horlock is busy planning his Maldon squad for next season, having been appointed as Ball’s successor earlier this month.

Ball left his role as manager after being named Colchester’s assistant manager alongside John McGreal and chairman Garty has revealed the former Jammers boss played his part in Horlock’s appointment.

Garty added: “Steve was very instrumental in putting Kevin forward because he knows that Kevin thinks the same way he thinks and he will still be involved with us through his role at Colchester.”

Colchester will send a full first-team squad to play Maldon in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 9.