Colchester defender Jack Baldwin has signed for National League club Hornchurch. The experienced centre-back, who celebrates his 33rd birthday, has linked up with the newly-promoted Urchins following his release by Colchester last month.

What happened?

Baldwin told the Hornchurch website: “I’m really excited to join the club.” He had a wealth of experience, playing for Sunderland, Northampton Town, and Bristol Rovers before joining Colchester last summer.

Why it matters for Colchester

Baldwin managed only three appearances for Danny Cowley’s side, primarily due to a succession of injuries. He said: “Before signing for Colchester, I’d only ever suffered one muscle injury in 15 years; this year, I had three or four where I’ve had an injury and it’s reoccurred or I picked up an injury during the rehab of an old injury.”

Current context

As of 01 Jul 2026, Colchester stands 12th in England League Two, with 66 points from 46 games, and a recent form of WLLWW. Their last result was a 4-1 win against Cheltenham on 2026-05-02. | Category | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 12th | | Goals this season | 62 scored, 49 conceded | | Title race | 21 points behind leaders Bromley | | Recent form | 2W-0D-3L |

Hornchurch manager Daryl McMahon said: “Jack is a great addition to the football club.” Baldwin is looking forward to meeting the squad and getting going. With his experience and leadership, he aims to help Hornchurch improve on and off the pitch.