Former Colchester United Playmaker Makes National League Move

National League side Woking FC has announced the signing of former Colchester United midfielder Alan Judge, as confirmed via a statement on the club’s website

The 35-year-old Republic of Ireland international joins The Cardinals on a short-term deal that will see him see the season out with the Surrey club.

Judge joins the club after recovering from a serious knee injury picked up in December 2022, which has kept him sidelined for over a year. The experienced midfielder boasts an illustrious career path, where he has played for the likes of Brentford, Ipswich, Blackburn, Notts County, and Plymouth before moving to Colchester in 2021, where he managed 55 appearances before picking up the serious injury.

Judge has also left his mark on the International stage, having made nine appearances for the Republic Of Ireland during the earlier stages of his career, where he also managed to score once as well.

How Good Was Judge Pre-Injury? 

During Judge’s career, the attacking midfielder has often left a positive mark on the clubs he has played for. His most notable spell was during his time at Brentford between 2014-2018, where he picked up multiple accolades for his on-field performances.

The 2015/16 season was his most impressive, having managed to make it into the PFA Championship Team Of The Year, as well as the EFL Team Of The Season, and picking up Brentford’s Player of the Year award. during this season he made 39 appearances for the Bees, scoring 13 times and assisting 11.

Judge’s stint at Notts County in League One which led to his move to Brentford was also an impressive one, with the midfielder scoring eight times in 43 for The Magpies whilst picking up a handful of assists. He also managed to pick up County’s Player Of The Year award and got into the PFA League One Team Of The Year, showing his trophy cabinet for personal achievements is loaded with awards.

How Good Of A Move Is This For Woking?

This transfer has all of the makings to be a very good, low-risk move by Woking. With Judge recently returning after being sidelined for over a year, it is always a risky move, but signing him on a short-term deal with only two months left of the season gives the club the chance to almost put him on trial.

If he performs during the few months left, Michael Doyle can look to offer him a new deal, but if not, he can be moved on in the summer to find a new side. On Judge’s side, it gives him a chance to get back to match fitness before the start of next season, showing that the deal benefits both parties whilst being a low-risk transfer.