Braintree Town are the ideal club for new boy Jamie Guy.

That is the view of Iron boss Rod Stringer, who feels the powerful former Colchester United striker can get his career back on track at Cressing Road.

Guy, 22, started his career at the U's and made his debut as a substitute against Blackpool in Feburary, 2005.

He spent loan spells at Cambridge United, Ebbsfleet and Staines Town, before being handed his first Football League start for Colchester at Sunderland in the 2006-07 season.

He made more than 30 substitute appearances for Colchester under Geraint Williams, in their first-ever season in the second tier.

Guy found the net against West Brom, Coventry and Cardiff in that season but his time at the U's after that was hindered by injury, a lack of first-team opportunities and off-the-field issues.

Guy spent time on loan at the likes of Dagenham and Redbridge, Port Vale and Oxford United before the U's released him last season.

The striker finished the campaign at Grays Athletic and will now be hoping to make an impact at Braintree.

Guy's arrival softens the blow of the departure of prolific striker George Purcell to Blue Square Premier side York City.

Stringer said: "With George's sale to York City, it provided an ideal opportunity to bring in a quality replacement that has had a lot of Football League experience over the past five years, but is still only 22.

"Jamie is keen to do well, get his career going again and knows that we are the ideal club to help him achieve that."

For more Braintree Town news, see this week's Braintree and Witham Times.