Town manager Paul Jewell was spotted at Southend’s 1-0 victory over Stevenage this afternoon, the second time in a week the Blues boss has visited Roots Hall. Shrimpers youngster Kane Ferdinand is understood to be reason for his regular trips to watch the League Two side.
Last Friday, Jewell and coach Sean McCarthy saw the 18-year-old midfielder score one of the goals as Southend beat their old Bradford City side 4-0 and that wasn’t the first time a Town representative had been spotted at Roots Hall in recent months.
In February, reserves coach Chris Kiwomya watched Republic of Ireland U21 call-up Ferdinand score his first senior goal in a 3-2 victory over Wycombe Wanderers.
Newham-born Ferdinand, a cousin of Manchester United’s Rio and Sunderland’s Anton, has been with the Shrimpers since he was 13 and recently put pen to paper on his first professional contract, a deal aimed at keeping him with the Essex club for two-and-a-half-years.
Ferdinand, who is 6ft 1in tall and can also play at centre-half, has made a huge impression in his 17 starts and two sub appearances since breaking into Paul Sturrock’s first team in January. Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion and Charlton have all also been linked.
Speaking last week in the wake of Jewell’s appearance at the Bradford game and reports that Forest’s football consultant David Pleat had also recently been at Roots Hall, Ferdinand said he was taking the speculation in his stride: "I don’t let any of that get to me and, to be honest, I didn’t even know anything about it until I read it in the paper.
"A lot of the stuff that’s been printed isn’t even true and I certainly won’t be affected by it. I will just concentrate on doing well for Southend and helping us win the matches we have left this season.”