Shrimpers focus on Friday: 'The games with Leeds are always the ones you look for'

Having lived in Leeds Blues right-back Simon Francis, who played for both Bradford City and Sheffield United, is looking forward to the game being played under the floodlights at Roots Hall due to another request from the essex constabulary.

Francis told the Echo "At the start of the season it was them and Charlton who you thought would be up there and they haven't disappointed. The games with Leeds are always the ones you look for when the fixtures come out and there is a good atmosphere when we play them. They are a strong side and we will have to play well to get anything from the game."

Meanwhile, Francis Laurent is fully fit after his month out from an ankle injury and the French forward knows it's time to recreate the form he showed in last season's 1-0 win over Leeds, his full league debut for the Blues, when he was dubbed League One's Thierry Henry!

Laurent spoke to the official site: "My ankle is feeling fine now and I didn't suffer any sort of reaction against Leyton Orient. Hopefully I am over that now and I can start scoring goals again, starting against Leeds!"