Tony Humes has set his sights on unearthing the stars of tomorrow.

And Colchester United’s newly-appointed Head of Youth would like nothing more than to help nurture the next Greg Halford or Dean Gerken.

Humes – a former Academy Manager at Ipswich Town – will oversee the U’s youth system.

The 43-year-old will work closely with youth team coach Joe Dunne and Dmitri Halajko, recently appointed as Colchester’s Early Years Development manager, along with Football Operations Manager, Gary Karsa.

Humes is keen to ensure that given time, Colchester are able to produce young players capable of challenging for a senior place.

He told the Gazette: “The aim of any youth development programme is to produce players for the first team.

“It’s to enable players to fulfil their potential and play at the highest level they can.

“The ultimate aim is to build a reputation that Colchester United is a good place for a young player to play football.

“From a fan’s point of view, to see a local lad make the step from schoolboy to pro football is the most rewarding thing to see.

“It is for us too – there’s nothing greater than seeing a local lad come good.”

Humes, who made nearly 150 appearances for Ipswich as a player, previously worked at Wrexham’s Centre of Excellence.

He moved to Town’s youth academy in 2006 and remained there until earlier this year, when he left following a review of Town’s youth set-up.

Now Humes is ready to embrace a new challenge – helping Colchester’s youth system to flourish again.

“I’m looking forward to it immensely,” said Humes, who will coach some of the U’s schoolboy teams.

“I’ve been involved in academy football for seven years and to get the opportunity to work at Colchester was a big challenge.

“There is clearly a strong team here and there is also something to build upon.

“It’s my job to ensure that the whole of the youth system here is running to the best of its ability.”

l U’s boss Paul Lambert will be able to call upon seven substitutes in Coca-Cola League One next season.

Football League clubs have approved a proposal from Derby County to increase the number of substitutes from five.

A maximum of three of the seven named substitutes may enter the field of play during a game.