We're staying positive, insists U's stalwart Duguid (From Essex County Standard)

We're staying positive, insists U's stalwart Duguid

1:41pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport By Jonathan Waldron

Still smiling - U's midfielder Karl Duguid says the club's players are staying positive, despite the team's poor start to the season. Picture: STEVE ARGENT

Colchester United ’s players are determined to stay upbeat - despite their worst start to a season in more than 60 years.

The struggling U’s are still searching for their first victory of the new League One campaign.

They lie third from bottom in the League One table, following four draws and three defeats.

It has been Colchester’s worst start to a season for 61 years.

They last went seven league games without victory at the start of a campaign in the 1951-52 division three south campaign.

Karl Duguid - who has made more than 450 league and cup appearances for Colchester - admitted the club’s players are aware of unrest among disgruntled fans.

However, the midfielder said they are trying to block out any negativity from the outside.

Duguid said: “Everyone wants to have their say and when you’re in this situation, things are highlighted more.

“I understand why the fans are frustrated.

“We’re as desperate as they are to get that first win of the season.

“But we can’t listen to negativity because that’ll filter throughout the team and the club.

“Instead, we’re all trying to be as positive as we can.

“We can’t listen to outside things - we can only affect what goes on on the pitch.

“The next game is always the most important one and what’s happened before is history.

“But we want to get back to the kind of standards that we set before.

“It’s not an ideal start for us but we just have to keep going and work as hard as we can.”

See Thursday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news, including Duguid's Diary and the views of Colchester United Supporters Association chairman, Jon Burns.