Sturrock: 'I've made up my mind on players and hope to sign a few'
In welcome news the Professional Footballers Association has told BBC Essex that if Southend produce evidence to the Football League that they are dealing with their financial problems and will see off the taxman when they visit the High Court next on August 2nd, they may well be given special dispensation to register players al la Bournemouth last season.
For the visit to Dartford Friday evening in the first of the club's pre-season friendlies Blues boss Paul Sturrock is hoping to follow up talks with players who impressed him last week in a specially arranged match at the Boots and Laces training ground by making more signings on pre-contract agreements to join Peter Gilbert and Barry Corr.
Sturrock has already confirmed: "I have made up my mind on those players and I'm hopeful of signing a few of them in the next two or three days. We will also have trialists playing against Dartford on Friday, but we do need to bring players in because right now we don't have a goalkeeper or any centre-backs."
So don't panic yet, transfer embargo or not, there should be plenty of movement over the next few hours in and out of Roots Hall, or round the M25 to Dartford anyway, or Ricky Duncan's under-18's will not only be playing in a special youth tournament next weekend!