Freddy Eastwood and Wayne Gray are already committed to deals covering the upcoming campaign, and Tilson is waiting for confirmation from Lawrie Dudfield that he sees his future with the Shrimpers. The Blues boss told the Southend Evening Echo that an offer was with the former Leicester City front man’s agent, but he was still waiting for a response. “Even if Lawrie does sign up again, I will be looking to bring in another forward because with both Tesfaye Bramble and Drewe Broughton having left the club I think we need one,” he said.
And the Seasiders’ manager was boosted by news that his star striker has no intentions of departing. “I’m very happy at Southend, it’s my local side and it’s only just down the road from where I live,” Freddy Eastwood told the Echo this evening. “I love it here and would be very happy to stay but it might not come down to me,” the 24-goal hit man revealed.
United’s top goalscorer has been courted by a number of sides during the last eighteen months, including League One Swindon Town and Premiership club Charlton Athletic, both of whom took the forward on trial whilst he was still playing for Grays Athletic. “If a team come in with a big offer that the club couldn’t refuse then I would have to go. That’s football at the end of the day but I’m pretty sure I will still be at Southend next year”.
And Eastwood is looking ahead with relish to testing himself at a new level. “It’s a higher league so I would imagine there will be a step up in quality. I will focus on our season and scoring as many goals as possible. I hope that’s with Southend and unless anyone tells me any different it will be.”
Meanwhile, Paul Brush has told the club’s official website, www.southendunited.co.uk, that the Shrimpers are on the look out for a new striker to compliment the trio already with Blues. “We are looking to bring in a few forward players but it’s not easy to bring good ones in,” he revealed, “there are some sides with big budgets in this division.”
And the Head Coach at Roots Hall did not deny that Southend were looking at Rochdale hotshot Grant Holt. “The strong rumour we have heard is that he is going to a side that has just got out of League Two. We have four of five names written down that we are trying to get somewhere with.”
Reading between the lines, Brush and first team boss Tilson may be ready to submit a bid for Holt as he encouraged Swansea City, one of the coastal club’s main rivals for the 24-year-old’s signature, to keep hold of their own main man, Lee Trundle. “Swansea would have a lot more money than we would have to offer a striker so in some ways I hope he stays there because then they might not be in the market for the same forward as we are.”
With Michael Kightly and Michael Husbands, as well as former Blackburn Rovers winger Jimmy Corbett, all allowed to leave southeast Essex, Brush also said that the club were interested in a flanker. “Ideally we’d like a wide man with pace but there aren’t many of those about who have the right level of experience. Our style of football with suit this division but we need enough experience to be able to compete.”
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com