Former Town U18s coach Adem Atay has been named Southend United’s assistant head coach, working under Kieron Dyer at Roots Hall.

Atay, 40, was with the Blues for 17 years in total, first as an academy player between 2002 and 2005 and then for a further 14 as a coach at Playford Road, working his way up the ranks to the U18s before resigning in 2022.

He subsequently joined Aston Villa, working with their U18s, prior to moving on to Norwich City, where he had again been working with their U18s.

“Kieron has had a big influence on my coaching career. We're good friends and have the same beliefs in how football should be played and how to get wins,” Atay said.

“We have worked together at Ipswich Town in the youth set-ups, so we know how each other works and how to generate the best out of each other.”

Dyer, who was named Shrimpers head coach earlier this month, added: “I’m really pleased to have Adem onboard. I’ve worked closely with him in the past and he understands how I want the game to be coached and played.

“It’s also nice to know Adz turned down an offer to coach at a higher level because he believes in the project we are building here. He will be a big asset for the club.”

Although born in Cambridge, Atay has familial links to South Essex: “I've got personal ties to Southend with both my mother growing up in Southend and my father-in-law also growing up in Southend too, so there's a little bit of a connection there, which is quite nice!”

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