Exclusive: embargo lifted

The embargo preventing Ron Martin from blogging looks finally to have been lifted, the Southend Afternoon Echo can eventually report.

Southend manager Steve "Tilly" Tilson was able to name more than three subs on the bench for the first time in months on Saturday, including reserve goalkeeper/comedy American Ian Joyce. It is believed that Joyce had previously been unable to be named on the bench as part of the terms of the Sean Morrison loan, although the club never actually got round to officially admitting this, much like they never got round to paying their taxes.

A blog from Ron Martin explaining away talk of transfer embargoes in the past tense as a "minor inconvenience" and saying that we should have trusted him all along is expected imminently.

TV appeal for missing man

The hunt for missing man James Walker is set to be boosted by Sky's decision to televise an appeal to find him.

The satellite giant, whose money has largely ruined football, has agreed to schedule a special programme on Monday 8 February 2010 from 7:45pm which is expected to showcase how the 22 year has been missed.

As previously reported, Walker's whereabouts have been uncertain ever since he went missing at Doncaster (from about 6 yards out) one night in May 2008. It is expected that Sky will now try and recreate that fateful night.

Although there were a handful of reports of a sighting on the right-wing Tuesday night
- including a pin-point accurate cross to Jean-François Christophe that the Frenchman somehow contrived not to score from - police remain sceptical. The sighting - and Walker's role in Southend's best moment of the game - appears to have gone by largely unnoticed, whilst police have dismissed a Walker sighting on the right-wing as unlikely, given this was not a known haunt of the 22 year old.

Reports continue to vary considerably as to how dangerous the Hackney-born man is.

Southend 6/1 to pay wages on time this month

It wasn't so much a case of Great Expectations as Bleak House.

Having been told to log onto the official web-site for a "special announcement" from 7am on Friday morning, fans were underwhelmed to discover that the odds of us being able to pay the players' wages this month were 6/1 (available with most bookies, 13/2 if you hunt around).

Still, you've got to give credit to the club for trying - because the banks clearly won't.

Fears intensify over missing man

Police were said to be getting increasingly worried about the safety of missing man James Walker.

The former Charlton man has been on the missing list now for nearly a year since his glorious late equaliser against Orient. Despite reporting sightings in Hereford around September and October - and more recently around the Southend area - there have been no confirmed sightings of the talented front man.

In September we reported on how police were linking his disappearance to that of Essex business man Geoff King.

Suspicions intensified recently when Damien Scannell was used as substitute up front and out of position ahead of Walker against the McDons Franchise and then at Tranmere when the ineffective 86 year old Dougie Freedman was again preferred to start.

However recent developments have led police to conclude that Walker's personal safety is now in serious jeopardy.

Suspicions were first aroused at Yeovil when Ian Joyce was dropped from the bench to make way for loanee Sean Morrison. Subsequent hamstring injuries to untrusted left-back Johnny Herd and "enigmatic" Frenchman Francis Laurent that paved way for the loan signings of Scott Malone and Jabo Ibhere only served to strengthen concern for the well-being of fringe squad members.

Already young midfielder Stuart O'Keefe is under 24 hour police protection and police are now said to be "desperate" to find Walker to ensure his own safety.

Should you know the whereabouts of Walker, Geoff King or the infamous Warchest you are urged to contact crimestoppers immediately.