Colchester United manager John Ward says he has no problem with working with a reduced playing budget next year.

Ward has revealed that he expects to see his budget trimmed, but insists that a prudent approach is crucial to the long-term future of the club.

While he and his team are striving for npower League One success on the pitch, Ward said chairman Robbie Cowling is trying to ensure the future viability of the U’s.

Ward said: “Robbie is very prudent and that’s in a correct way.

“He and I will work very closely together and we are going to look at down-sizing in terms of the finance side of it.

“I’m fine with that and I fully understand it."

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