Lokando joins Ademeno as club show seven the exit

Last updated : 12 May 2009 By Shrimpers24
Southend United have today (Monday) released the names of seven players who will not be offered new contracts next season.

They are strikers Charles Ademeno and Rhys Henry, winger Jamie Forshaw, midfielders Peggy Loakando, Davis Abbey and Luke Thurlbourne and right-back Dan Harvey.

Ademeno and Lokando are the two young players who have played for the first team.

Charles Ademeno leaving, announced on Friday by TLG, was a bit of a shock when a mate texted me the news and still is a touch. He made five appearances having been handed a two-year contract in 2007 after leaving the youth side. Charles looked a good prospect after starting against Millwall last August but Tilly obviously believes there is no further progress to be made as well as being a tough financial climate.

He scored 6 goals in 20 appearances for Salisbury City over a four month loan period and he may have a future there or at least at that level.

Ex-Arsenal trainee Peggy Lokando looked a decent player on the few occassions I've seen him and after being loaned out to Dagenham & Redbridge there was confidence it would to beef him up for harder stuff to come. Again, like Charles, it wasn't to be but again there is not the dosh around at the moment to take any gambles.

The other five are not too surprising though every time I read one of Rob Craven's youth reports a couple of seasons ago Rhys Henry seemed to score, mentioned in dispatches regularly along with Jamie, Luke and Dan during the excellent Youth Cup run during that period.

Those four were all on one-year development contracts after progressing through the Centre of Excellence.

Davis though had been the captain of the championship winning under-18 side and was the last of that succesful team to learn about his future at the club.

TLG wishes all of the seven the best of luck and thanks for the memories. Just don't come back and remind us of what we've let go or sign for Wolves and get to the Premiership worth a few million, doubt there's a sell on clause on any of them!