IF awards were given out for popularity, Gavin Massey's trophy cabinet would be brimming.

So the likeable 29-year-old is sure to be afforded a generous reception by Colchester United fans when he returns to the JobServe Community Stadium with Wigan Athletic, this weekend.

U's supporters have not forgotten the hard graft Massey put in during his four-and-a-half year stint with the U's, particularly given a fair chunk of his time with the club was spent helping the club battle against relegation.

With his skill, versatility and positive attitude, he quickly endeared himself to Colchester fans after initially arriving at the club as a fresh-faced teenager on loan from Watford in January 2012, snapped up by John Ward.

The talented attacker immediately made a positive impression, leading to him signing permanently for the U's that summer.

Massey quickly established himself as a regular in the Colchester starting line-up, both under Ward and then Joe Dunne who took over in the hot seat early in the 2012-13 season.

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He made 41 appearances for the U's, scoring six times, in his first full season for the club, a testing one that saw their League One survival battle go down to the final day of the campaign.

The fact that Massey scored in the crucial 2-0 win at Carlisle United which kept Colchester in the third tier was telling, given the influence he had that season.

That influence was recognised by fans and team-mates alike, leading to him landing the U's Players' Player of the Year accolade at the club's End of Season Awards.

“To stay in League One and be a League One player next season is an unbelievable feeling and that’s the best thing about it," Massey told the Gazette.

“It means so much to us and the fans who have been different class and hopefully now we can kick on."

Colchester experienced similar struggles the following season, effectively securing League One football for another season in the penultimate game with a 4-1 triumph over already-promoted Brentford.

Despite being hampered by a hamstring injury which ruled him out for two long spells in the first half of the campaign, Massey nevertheless played on 31 occasions in that campaign, scoring three times.

But it was arguably in Colchester's eventful 2014-15 season - when they dramatically secured their League One status against Preston North End on the final day of the season - that Massey really came into his own.

After securing League One safety on the final day of the season, Massey scooped the Colchester United 'Players' Player of the Year' accolade at the club's end of season dinner.

He was involved in all 51 games across the season, scoring eight goals, earning him the U's players' accolade for the second season in three years.

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Massey's final campaign with Colchester - the 2015-16 season - saw similar toil for the club but sadly on this occasion, there was no happy ending as they suffered relegation to League Two.

Once again, Massey ended the season as one of the club's leading appearance makers, making 47 appearances and netting four times.

Committed to the end, he never gave less than 100 per cent in any fixture; few Colchester fans begrudged him making the decision to leave the U's in the summer of 2016.

Massey made 178 league and cup appearances for Colchester, scoring 21 goals and left on good terms.

“I’ll never have a bad word to say about Colchester," he said, after joining Leyton Orient.

“They’ve done so much for my career.

“It was hard to leave Colchester because they have been massive in my development and gave me the opportunity to play football."

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Massey scored eight goals in 36 appearances for the O's but left following the club's relegation to the National League, joining Wigan on a two-year deal in 2017.

The 29-year-old has gone on to make nearly 150 league and cup appearances for the Latics during his time there and has been a regular in the starting line-up as they push for League One promotion, this season.

Massey will be aiming to help secure his side's FA Cup progress at the expense of his former club, on Sunday lunchtime.

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Celebration - Gavin Massey after scoring for Wigan Athletic Picture: NICK POTTS/PA WIRE

But no matter what the scoreline this weekend, his commitment and overall contribution during his time at the U's will always be saluted.