Veteran Southend United defender Rob Newman today declared himself fit and ready to lead Blues away from the bottom of the Third Division table.

The 35-year-old centre-half has missed Southend's last two matches, a victory at Leyton Orient and a home defeat by Scunthorpe United, through suspension and injury.

However, with fellow defender Leo Roget beginning a two-game ban at Mansfield Town this Saturday, the big stopper is hoping to earn a first team recall.

"I'm desperate to get back in the side and help pull the lads out of trouble and hopefully I'll get my chance at Mansfield," said the former Norwich City defender.

Newman had been playing through the pain barrier, before his two game lay-off, but said he is over his injury problems and wants to prove himself to new Shrimpers boss Alan Little.

"I've been having trouble with my hernia and groin, but I'm a lot better now and want to show the new gaffer what I'm all about," said Newman, who is Blues' top scorer with eight league and cup goals.

"I'd been playing in pain for weeks before missing the last two games and I was feeling very sore in training, but the rest seems to have done the business and cleared the trouble up.

"Now I want to get back in the side, play in our last six games and help steer us to safety by pushing us up the league table into a comfortable position."

Following Hartlepool's 1-0 win at Shrewsbury Town last night, Blues are only six points adrift of bottom spot in the league and their first taste of non-league soccer for 80-years.

The Shrimpers have never played outside the Football League since gaining election to Division Three South in 1920, a proud record which Newman said must be maintained.

"I'm confident we'll stay up, but it's getting tight and we need to get our act together fast," he added.

"I think we need six points at most to get out of trouble and hopefully we can get half of those at Mansfield on Saturday.

"What we don't want to do is go into the last game, when Hartlepool visit Roots Hall, needing a last-day win to stay up.

"Depending on our results before then, it could be that whoever loses that could lose their league status, which is a nightmare scenario we don't want."

Returning? Rob Newman

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