Francis: 'Saturday's match is a cup final for us'
Losing to the Monkey Hangers finally saw Southend fall into the dreaded drop zone where they are joined by their weekend opponents at Roots Hall Exeter City, who are only a place above them curtesy of a single goal!
Left back Simon Francis knows how important getting back to winning ways, something they have failed to do so far in 2010, is if they are to start the difficult climb back to safety.
Francis told www.southendunited.co.uk: "Saturday's match is a cup final for us and every single match after that are going to be our biggest games of the season. It has a massive physiological effect being in the bottom four. The gaffer put the league table up on the wall in the dressing room before Hartlepool just to reiterate what position we are in at the moment. We all had a good look at it and we know we are in a relegation battle."
Simon could easily be the clubs top scorer after his dangerous free-kicks have done everything bar finishing up in the back of the net.
He commented on his bad luck: "It really is frustrating for me at the moment with shots and free-kicks but as long as the team are winning that is all you can ask for. At the moment though that's not happening."