Shrimpers News

So sunny Sarfend report back for pre-season training on Friday with only one new signing to the squad so far - ex-Millwall legend Neil Harris.

The local lad and Southend supporter 'cannot wait' to get the season underway and prove himself in front of his hometown crowd.

Striker Barry Corr has also tweeted that he is raring to go and that his impressive 21 goal haul last season was not a 'flash in the pan'.

Club captain Craig Easton and striker Blair Sturrock are still in contract negotiations after turning down their initial offers of new deals. Both players have expressed their desire to stay with the club, but with Torquay and several Scottish clubs sniffing around Easton in particular, the Shrimpers need to get a move on quick with improved deals.

Apparently boss Paul Sturrock is after another un-named Championship striker and a League Two winger to further bolster his squad and it looks certain that he will soon be acquiring Crystal Palace midfielder Alassane N'Diaye on a season long loan deal.

The youngster has made only a handful of appearances for the Eagles and spent last season on loan at Swindon Town.

I'm personally not sure what to make of a young midfielder who could not get a place in a struggling Palace side, and then got relegated with a struggling Swindon side; however I'll reserve judgement until I see him play in the friendlies.

We launched another new home kit, with a distinctive white 'V' on the front of the shirt not dissimilar to the recent Manchester United jersey, and as I've blogged about before our lovely pink - sorry 'Cherry Voltage' - away shirt went on sale last week and actually achieved quite impressive sales ( but I'm still not gonna buy it ).

So that's Shrimpers news in a nutshell for the time being.

Once we sign Fabregas I'll let you all know. We must be in the race for his signature, surely?

Or maybe Connor Wickham’s…..........

Lee Morgan

http://www.twitter.com/LeeM_007