Contract Rebels - Ultimatum Day arrives

Kevin Maher - offered a two year deal

Defender Leon Cort, Goalkeeper’s Darryl Flahavan and Daniel Gay, Midfielder’s Kevin Maher and Stuart Thurgood and defender Damon Searle were all due to meet Blues Manager Rob Newman this afternoon. All the players have been offered new one year deals except Maher who is believed to have been given an offer of two years and an improved pay offer. Leyton Orient are waiting in the wings should Maher decline the Shrimpers offer.

Five other players are still awaiting news as to whether they are to be offered new deals, the five are Ben Smith, Danny Kerrigan, Leon Johnson, Mark Beard and Scott Forbes. Marek Szmid who is currently on a week to week basis also awaits a decision on his future along with triallists Lewis Blois and Matt Hearn.

Manager Newman was quoted with the following

Newman - strong words

warning to the players “ These players have had more than a month to think over their contract offers and now it is decision time, I want them signed up today, otherwise I will withdraw the contract offers that I have made and these lads will face the prospect of becoming another soccer statistic. We certainly wont be helping them to find employment as they wont play another game for Southend United if they don’t put pen to paper on the terms we have offered”

Steve Connolly
www.thelittlegzette.com