‘Eager Morgan’s Pick Me Plea’ proclaims the back page of tonight’s Southend Evening Echo as the trio all have their chance to state their claims. 18-year-old custodian Nick Morgan, who has yet to even appear on the substitute bench for the Shrimpers, is desperate for an opportunity to impress, despite conceding four goals on each of his last two appearances in a Southend shirt, firstly for the Under-18s at the University of Sussex versus Brighton & Hove Albion and then for the second-string in a behind-closed-doors friendly at home to Hornchurch.
“If I was to get a game then it would be a dream come true”, said six-feet eight-inch tall Morgan, who turns 19 in January and is in the last year of a three-season term with the Shrimpers, whom he joined in the middle of that first season after arriving from West Ham United. However, the teenager is phlegmatic about his chances: “I know the manager has got someone in on loan but I could still be on the bench and even that would be excellent for me as well”.
The Londoner realises that this could be the only time that a chink of light appears in the world of professional football, after the use of Tesfaye Bramble as a replacement shotstopper means that Tilson will be seeking to name a qualified goalie on the bench as cover for new signing Ryan Clarke from Bristol Rovers. “I’ve always wanted to be a professional footballer”, Morgan revealed.
The Under-18s were all on duty at Roots Hall watching helplessly as centre-forward Bramble repelled the Boston United attack for nearly an hour on the pitch, and Morgan commented that he was a frustrated spectator, “It was hard sitting in the stands watching the manager put an outfield player in goal, but I know I have to be patient and wait for a chance”.
And Morgan will be putting in the hard graft in the six months before a professional contract is definitively offered or failed to be put on the table. “My eventual ambition is to become the number one with the first team jersey, but there is a long, long way to go before I can even think of that”.
22-year-old Ryan Clarke, five inches shorter than Morgan, is expecting to walk straight into the side having signed on a month’s loan from Bristol Rovers, however. "It’s good to come to Southend and hopefully get a few games under my belt”, he told the club’s official website, www.southendunited.co.uk. “If that doesn’t happen I’ve not lost anything at all because I wasn’t in the side at Bristol”.
On his first day of training at Boots & Laces with the new squad, which included comedian Terry Alderton, who put pen to paper on non-contract terms just 24 hours earlier, Clarke added, “I’m looking forward to the match at the weekend. Whether I play or not remains to be seen but I’ve had to come in for big matches before at Bristol on a one-off so if I do get my chance I know what to expect”.
Comic Alderton, though, has not given up hope completely of being involved in the matchday squad. Talking to talkSPORT radio’s Hawksbee and Jacob’s afternoon show, he revealed, “We’ve just signed Ryan Clarke from Bristol Rovers, so I’m expecting him to start, but if I’m named on the bench, knowing our fans they’ll give me a bit of the bird”.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com