Southend United

  1. Keenan Appiah-Forson in action for Southend United

  3. Southend sign midfielders Oldaker and Hartigan

    Anthony Hartigan head and shoulders shot looking to his left wearing Barnet's orange and black kitShutterstock

    Anthony Hartigan won the National League title with Barnet in 2025

    Southend United have signed two former National League-winning midfielders - Darren Oldaker from Swindon Town and former Barnet player Anthony Hartigan.

    Defensive midfielder Oldaker, 27, captained Chesterfield to the National League title in 2023-2024, before joining League Two Swindon Town last May.

    He went on to make 40 appearances for the Robins, scoring once in the league and once in the FA Cup. Southend said he had joined for an undisclosed fee.

    Central midfielder Hartigan won the National league title with Barnet in 2024-2025, before making 32 EFL appearances for the Bees in 2025-2026, scoring once. He joins on a free transfer after the expiry of his Barnet contract.

    Southend finished sixth in the National League last season, before losing their play-off eliminator away to Scunthorpe United.

    They will start the season under former Newcastle United and England midfielder Kieron Dyer who was appointed head coach earlier this month.

    Dyer replaced Kevin Maher, who was sacked on 19 May, just two days after Southend's win over Wealdstone in the FA Trophy final at Wembley.

    Dyer said: "Both have had promotions from the National League, both are capable of playing to a really high standard in League Two, and probably would be one of the best pairs in that league, so to get them in and joining the project is a massive coup."

  4. Josh Popoola

  5. Kieron Dyer has a shaved head and a beard. He is wearing a navy jacket over a cream T-shirt and is smiling. He is standing in front of a football pitch at Southend United's training ground.

  6. Kieron Dyer stands in front of a dark blue sign with white writing on it saying Southend United FC. He is wearing a zip-neck jumper with white shirt and dark tie underneath, with a blue and yellow scarf around his neck

  7. Kieron Dyer at Southend United's Roots Hall ground

  8. FA Trophy-winning captain Ralph leaves Southend

    Southend United players, led by captain Nathan Ralph, celebrate lifting the FA Trophy at WembleyGetty Images

    Nathan Ralph and his Southend team-mates lift the FA Trophy at Wembley

    Nathan Ralph, the first Southend United captain to lift a domestic trophy, will leave the National League club when his contract expires next month.

    The 33-year-old led the Shrimpers to victory in the FA Trophy final, in which they beat Wealdstone at Wembley earlier this month.

    In total, he has made 202 appearances for Southend, scoring 13 goals, and has been skipper since 2022.

    "Everyone at Southend United would like to thank Ralph for his contributions and long service," a club statement said.

    Ralph came through the youth ranks at Ipswich Town and Peterborough United, making his senior debut while on loan at Kettering Town in 2012.

    He went on to play for Yeovil Town, Aldershot Town, Woking and Dundee, before signing for Southend in July 2019.

  9. Gus Scott-Morriss celebrates scoring the winning penalty in the shootout against Wealdstone in the FA Trophy final

  10. A photo of footballer Noor Husin playing for Southend United Football Club. Husin is looking to his right while running on the pitch with an open mouth, wearing a dark blue shirt with yellow strips and neck trim and the Southend badge and kit logo in white either side of his chest

  11. Morton and Hopper leave Southend after FA Trophy win

    James Morton tangles with Wealdstone's Nathan Tshikuna during Southend's FA Trophy win at Wembley on Sunday.Getty Images

    James Morton and Tom Hopper are leaving Southend United after helping the Shrimpers beat Wealdstone on penalties to lift the FA Trophy.

    Morton started at Wembley on Sunday, while Hopper came off the bench, and both will move on when their contracts expire next month.

    Cav Miley, Josh Walker and George Wind are also going when their deals end in June.

    Southend have triggered options to keep Oli Coker, Charley Kendall and Harry Taylor, while they have made Harry Cardwell's loan from Forest Green Rovers permanent.

    Southend say they are in talks with Collin Andeng Ndi, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Jack Bridge, Joe Gubbins, Noor Husin, Gus Scott-Morriss and Nathan Ralph about new contracts.

    Director of football Oliver Gage said: "Firstly, I want to thank every player departing the football club and all of them have contributed positively during their time at Southend United.

    "We're pleased to have retained a strong core within the squad, while also creating room to make targeted additions and improvements."

  12. A side profile of Justin Rees, a man with short hair wearing a white T-shirt. He is in a radio studio and wears black headphones, and appears to be talking to someone off camera.

  13. Side-by-side images of Jed Wallace celebrating with Mahlon Romeo with the League One play-off trophy in 2017 and Barry Bannan wishing goalkeeper Cameron Dawson well in Sheffield Wednesday's penalty shootout against Peterborough United in 2023

  14. Southend appoint Duckett as head of recruitment

    Southend head coach Kevin Maher in a black t-shirt gives a thumbs up to supportersGetty Images

    Southend sacked head coach Kevin Maher on Monday after nearly five years in charge

    Southend United have named Jonathan Duckett as their new head of recruitment just 24 hours after the National League club sacked head coach Kevin Maher.

    Duckett arrives at Roots Hall having spent two years in a similar role at the Blues' county rivals, Colchester United.

    He has also previously had roles in recruitment and technical scouting with Norwich City and the Football Association.

    Southend sacked Maher despite the club reaching the National League play-offs and winning the FA Trophy at Wembley on Sunday.

    "Jon has operated at a very high level across recruitment, scouting and player identification for many years, and his recent experience leading recruitment within League Two was particularly important to us," Southend's director of football Oliver Gage told the club website.

  15. Kevin Maher has short, dark hair. He is licking his lips with a serious expression on his face. He is wearing a black club tracksuit with white detailing on the shoulders.

  16. Kevin Maher with the FA Trophy

  17. A group of football fans cheering in a stand at Wembley Stadium.

  18. Dan Wolfendale is wearing a navy bucket hat and has a yellow scarf around his neck. He is smiling in front of a crowded Wembley Stadium.

  19. Southend celebrate winning FA Trophy

  20. Harry Boyes celebrates scoring

  21. Southend United fans - men, women and children - celebrating a goal at Wembley.

  22. Nathan Ralph is interviewed pitchside

  23. A close up shot of part of the mostly male crowd at a football match. A man holds aloft a navy and white scarf with the words "SOUTHEND. SHRIMPERS MARCHING DOWN WEMBLEY WAY"

  24. Scunthorpe United boss Andy Butler

  25. Two women are dressed in costumes similar to Thing One and Thing Two characters from Dr Seuss's Cat in the Hat books. They wear blue wigs with red tops and sunglasses One of the women's tops says Amy 1 and the other says Amy 2. They are standing in football stadium stands with their arms raised in celebration as they smile at the camera.