Cowley hopeful of improving squad in January

Danny Cowley's previous clubs include Lincoln City, Huddersfield Town and Portsmouth

Colchester United boss Danny Cowley is confident owner Robbie Cowling will back him in the January transfer window, despite the club being up for sale.

However, he believes the club may have to generate some funds for signings by selling members of the current squad.

The U's are 13th in League Two but only three points away from the play-off places, having won four of their past six games.

The club was put back on the market in September after plans to sell to Lightwell Sports Group, a US consortium, fell through three months earlier.

"We know what we would like and what we need. Robbie is looking to sell and has been really open and honest with his feelings with regards to that and in the meantime he is still selflessly funding the club," Cowley told BBC Essex.

"Before we get what we want, we have to try to create the finance that we might need."

The Colchester boss and assistant Nicky Cowley, his brother, will be helped in their search by first-team coach John Duckett, who is also the club's analyst.

"John has now moved into a head of recruitment role. We always like to be lean and mean as a staff and support team, so it's a job and a half really, he's still with us on match days," said Cowley.

"You can see a lot of players on the (video) screen and then the last bit of that recruitment is the live scouting once we've really filtered and narrowed down the targets. We try to work to that kind of strategy."

Colchester are at home to Cheltenham Town in their next game on Saturday.

They then have five more fixtures in December before the transfer window opens in January.